Zserbó
Walnut and apricot layered pastry
Zserbó szelet: Hungarian layered yeast pastry with walnut and apricot jam under a chocolate glaze
At Christmas and at every family name day, a Hungarian grandmother cuts zserbó into neat diamonds: three layers of walnut and apricot jam between four thin sheets of rich yeast pastry, crowned with dark chocolate. It was created at the Gerbeaud café on Vörösmarty tér in Budapest, and the name is simply the café's French name spelled the Hungarian way. The pastry bakes short and tender, the jam stays sharp and fruity, and the chocolate adds a firm, glossy snap. A common mistake is rolling the sheets unevenly, so the slices come out lopsided; weigh the dough into four equal parts and roll each to the size of the tin on baking paper. It tastes even better the next day, once the jam has soaked in. Chef's tip: use a tart apricot jam and stir a squeeze of lemon into it if it seems very sweet.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the dough
- 14 oz plain flour
- 7 oz cold butterdiced
- 1 ¾ oz icing sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup lukewarm milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp lemon zest
For the filling
- 7 oz ground walnuts
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- 14 oz apricot jam
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
For the glaze
- 5 ½ oz dark chocolatechopped
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 2 tbsp milk
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rub 7 oz cold butter into 14 oz plain flour, 1 ¾ oz icing sugar and 1 pinch salt until it looks like breadcrumbs. Stir ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast into ½ cup lukewarm milk, add it with 1 egg and 1 tsp lemon zest and knead briefly into a smooth, soft dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
40 minStep 2: Mix 7 oz ground walnuts with 5 ½ oz sugar. Stir 1 tbsp lemon juice into 14 oz apricot jam if it is very sweet.
2 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line a 25 x 35 cm tin with baking paper. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces by weight.
5 minStep 4: Roll one piece on baking paper to the size of the tin and lay it in. Spread with a third of the jam and scatter over a third of the walnut sugar.
8 minStep 5: Repeat with the next two sheets, jam and walnuts, then lay the last sheet on top and prick it all over with a fork.
15 minStep 6: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges come away from the tin. Cool completely in the tin.
35 minStep 7: Melt 5 ½ oz dark chocolate with 1 ⅜ oz butter and 2 tbsp milk over a low heat until smooth and glossy, then spread it over the cold pastry.
8 minStep 8: Leave until the chocolate sets, then cut into diamonds or squares with a hot knife.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zserbó take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 75 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of cold butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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