Here’s a classic Hungarian Zserbó Szelet (Gerbeaud Slice)—rich, nutty, jammy, and very old-school 🇭🇺✨ This is the traditional version you’d find in Hungarian homes and pastry shops.
Zserbó Szelet (Hungarian Gerbeaud Slice)
Ingredients
Dough
500 g all-purpose flour
250 g unsalted butter, softened
200 ml milk, lukewarm
25 g fresh yeast (or 7 g active dry yeast)
100 g sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Filling
300 g ground walnuts
200 g powdered sugar
400 g apricot jam (thick, good quality)
Chocolate Glaze
200 g dark chocolate
2 tbsp vegetable oil or butter
Instructions
Activate the yeast Mix the lukewarm milk with a little sugar and the yeast. Let it sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
Make the dough In a large bowl, combine flour, butter, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and knead until soft and smooth. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling Mix ground walnuts with powdered sugar.
Assemble Roll out the first dough layer and place it in a lined baking tray (about 30×40 cm). Spread half of the apricot jam, then sprinkle half of the walnut mixture. Roll out the second dough layer, place on top, and repeat the jam and walnuts. Cover with the third dough layer.
Bake Prick the top with a fork. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30–35 minutes, until lightly golden. Let it cool completely.
Chocolate glaze Melt the chocolate with oil/butter. Spread evenly over the cooled cake.
Set & slice Let the chocolate set fully, then cut into neat rectangles.
Tips (Hungarian grandma style 😉)
Always use apricot jam, nothing else.
Let it rest overnight—the flavor gets even better the next day.
Cut with a warm knife for clean slices.
If you want, I can also give you: • a short Facebook caption • a just-recipe version • or the modern butter-rich café version ☕🍰
