Ah! 😍 Hungarian Beigli is a traditional rolled pastry, usually served at Christmas or special occasions. It’s a sweet yeast dough filled with walnut or poppy seed filling, rolled into a log, and baked until golden. Here’s a full, classic recipe:
Hungarian Beigli (Walnut & Poppy Seed Roll Cake)
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 100 g (½ cup) sugar
- 1 packet (7 g / 2 tsp) dry yeast
- 200 ml (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) warm milk
- 100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 pinch salt
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional, for aroma)
For the Walnut Filling:
- 200 g (2 cups) ground walnuts
- 100 g (½ cup) sugar
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp rum or rum essence (optional)
For the Poppy Seed Filling:
- 200 g (2 cups) poppy seeds, ground
- 100 g (½ cup) sugar
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp butter
For Brushing:
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
1. Make the Dough
- In a small bowl, combine warm milk and yeast. Let it sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add eggs, melted butter, yeast mixture, and lemon zest. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8–10 minutes by hand, or 5 minutes in a mixer).
- Cover dough and let rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, until doubled in size.
2. Prepare the Fillings
Walnut Filling:
- Heat milk in a small saucepan with sugar.
- Stir in ground walnuts, cook gently until thickened.
- Remove from heat, add vanilla and rum, let cool.
Poppy Seed Filling:
- Heat milk with sugar and butter.
- Stir in ground poppy seeds and cook until thickened.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool.
3. Shape the Beigli
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
- Punch down the dough, divide into 2 equal parts (one for walnut, one for poppy seed, or make both in one batch).
- Roll each piece into a rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.
- Spread filling evenly, leaving a 1–2 cm border along the edges.
- Roll tightly from the long side, sealing the edges by pinching.
- Place rolls seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
4. Brush and Bake
- Brush the rolls with beaten egg for a shiny golden crust.
- Bake 35–40 minutes until golden brown.
- Let cool completely before slicing (this helps the filling set and prevents it from oozing out).
5. Serve
- Slice into ½–1 inch thick pieces.
- Perfect with coffee or tea!
✨ Tips:
- Chill the dough slightly before rolling if it’s too soft — it makes rolling easier.
- Be careful not to overfill, or the rolls may crack while baking.
- Beigli can be stored for 3–4 days at room temperature, or freeze slices for longer storage.
If you want, I can make a combined version where you make a walnut + poppy seed swirl Beigli in one roll — it looks amazing and tastes even better.
Do you want me to do that?
