"Who are St. Nicholas’ devils? In Prekmurje we call them Parklini and they visit the children on the eve of the 6th December. They accompany St. Nicholas, a kind man who brings presents to kids. He wears beige, angelic colours and the Parkelj is his opposite. He's dark and hairy, has horns like a devil and a long red tongue. According to the tradition, kids have to clean their shoes and place them by the door. The next morning, on St. Nicholas' Day, the shoes are filled with simple presents, like dried fruits, manadarines and a candy or two. But sometimes, a hazel rod is placed beside the presents. It's a present from Parkelj, for naugty children." 
Ingredients:
 
500 g spelt flour
200 ml warm milk
½ fresh yeast cake (21g)
3-4 spoons sugar
2 eggs
2 spoons sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
 
poppy seeds
dried cherries, cranberries or raisins
 
+ a little bit of milk
+ flour for dusting
+ a little bit oil
​Method:
​
  • Sift the flour into a larger bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk. Add crumbled fresh yeast and a bit of sugar.
  • Sprinkle the salt around the sides of the flour.
  • Leave it to rest for 10 minutes. The yeast will activate and start to foam.
  • Add 1 whole egg, the egg white from the other egg and a sour cream. Bring everything together into elastic and smooth dough.
  • You don’t have to prove the dough. Just oil your hands a bit and divide the dough into 6 parts.
  • Shape each piece of the dough as you go.
  • Fist, shape a roll and then flatten it with your hands.  On top, cut into the middle to form the horns. On the bottom, make a longer cut to form the legs. And at the edges, chip off some dough for hands. (See the pictures below.)
  • Mix together a few spoons of milk and the leftover egg yolk, then coat the shaped Devil. Place dried fruits for the eyes and sprinkle some poppy seeds over his legs, so they look hairy. For the long tongue, use red paper and cut it to shape.
  • Lay them on the baking paper. When the last one is shaped, the first two should be ready to be baked in a preheated oven at 200°C for around 15 minutes.
  • When baked, place them on a baking rack, cower them with a kitchen cloth and leave to cool down slowly, so they stay nicely soft and fluffy.