site.btaFourth Garash Cake Festival Celebrated in Ruse

Culinary demonstrations, contests, concerts, and a laser show are all part of the fourth annual celebration of the Garash cake in Ruse.

The contest for preparing the chocolate dessert, both in its classic and alternative versions, drew significant interest. Nearly 100 amateur pastry chefs took part. A panel of professional judges selected the best among them. Prizes for the top spots were provided by the Vocational Training Center of renowned pastry chef Ivan Alexandrov, who also hosted a special masterclass for children. Later, he demonstrated how to make miniature Garash bites using his own recipe.

“Everything is a matter of taste. For the traditional recipe, it’s important to have walnuts, egg whites, butter, and chocolate, there has to be a balance between the chocolate and the sweetness. For example, I add more butter, yolks, and additional ingredients that make it tastier. Everyone makes it to their own taste. Today, we even tried some very delicious cakes that had nothing to do with the original, and they were definitely worth it,” chef Alexandrov told BTA.

He added that anyone can also borrow a recipe from the old notebooks of their grandmother or mother.

“Even my mother makes a Garash cake that’s just cream. We separate part of it, add nuts, and it becomes like a cake layer. Even I found it super strange how we do it, but it works. That’s why I say there are a lot of great variations out there, and that’s why the old recipe notebooks are so important,” Alexandrov said.

The festival is organized by Ruse Municipality. Ruse Deputy Mayor Zlatomira Stefanova recalled that the inspiration for the celebration came from research indicating that Garash cake was created in the Danube city in the 1890s, thanks to the culinary skills of Karoly (Kosta) Garash, who based it on the recipe for the Viennese Sachertorte.

“Every city in Bulgaria, every town or village, has some kind of culinary festival, something with a unique spirit. Something that sets it apart. I believe that besides the architectural landmarks we have, Garash cake really sets us apart and fits beautifully with the aristocratic spirit of the people of Ruse,” Stefanova told BTA.