I've never been much of an adventurer and can safely say, whether I like it or not, wanderlust simply isn't part of my makeup. That said, I do enjoy travelling now and then, and hope to do some serious sightseeing in Australia and abroad with my partner in coming years when we retire. We have a few must-see destinations on our bucket list, which include places that renowned cookery writer, Diane Holuigue, so eloquently refers to as 'the well known byways' and 'well-worn paths trodden along the sights (sites) that best delineate the beauty of a region.' One of our plans is to enjoy coffee and cakes (note plural) at the iconic and elegant Gerbaud coffee house in Budapest’s Vörösmarty Square. The one and only time I've been to Gerbeaud, was in 1994, when I visited relatives across Europe with my parents and my young son and daughter. It seems like such a long time ago now. Gerbaud café was borne in 1883 from a partnership between confectioner, Henrik Kugler and Swiss pastry chef, Emile Gerbeaud. Together with the much loved Dobos Torte, their Gerbaud slice is one of the classic offerings on the menu to this day. With its layers of sweet yeast pastry, ground walnuts, apricot jam, cocoa and rich, dark chocolate glaze, Gerbeaud slice is rich, delicious and very ‘continental’ (as one friend who tasted my version described it). And while it may be considered fiddly to make, it's popular with Hungarian home cooks and often baked in quantity for events such as Easter day and weddings. I remember enjoying Hurka sausage (similar to black pudding), Zserbó Szelet and lavishly sweet Tokaji Aszu wine at numerous weddings that my family attended over the years. My mother, Iren, the artisan baker that she was, didn’t need a special occasion to make Gerbaud slice. She baked it often throughout her life, and she baked it very well! Here is my take on her handwritten recipe, which I treasure . My mother's birthday fell on 27 March and she slipped away, aged 75, on 29 March, which also happened to be Easter Saturday of that year. This post is written with much love in her honour. IREN'S GERBEAUD SLICE (Zserbó Szelet) For the pastry: 170 g softened unsalted cultured butter, plus extra to grease pan 500 g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for rolling 4 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon caster sugar 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1/2 cup milk 7 g sachet dried yeast 1 egg yolk, lightly whisked 2 tablespoons ‘lite’ sour cream For the filling: 300 g thick apricot jam 20 g cocoa 200 g caster sugar 200 g ground walnuts For the chocolate glaze: 350 g dark chocolate buttons or chocolate pieces 1 tablespoon unsalted butter Preheat oven to 180°C. Rub the butter into the flour using a pastry blender or your gingers. The mixture will resemble breadcrumbs. Add the four tablespoons of caster sugar, lemon zest and bicarbonate of soda and mix to combine. Heat the milk to lukewarm temperature, either over the stove in a small saucepan on medium heat or gently in the microwave, sprinkle over the dried yeast and the teaspoon of caster sugar. (Hot milk will kill the yeast, so just to lukewarm.) Mix and set aside in a warm spot for ten minutes. Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the milk/yeast mixture, the whisked egg yolk and the sour cream and mix to make a good dough that is not too wet or dry (add a little more sour cream if it seems too dry). Knead the dough briefly. Cover with a clean tea towel and set it aside in a warm spot, free from draughts, for ten minutes. Prepare a 23 x 33cm slice tin by greasing it and lining it with baking paper. Cut the dough into three even-sized pieces. Press out the dough into a rectangular shape and then roll out on a lightly floured board. Line the base of the tin with the first layer of pastry. Spread with a layer of the apricot jam (about half the quantity). Sprinkle with half of the combined cocoa and caster sugar and top with a layer of ground walnuts. (Note: you will have used half the filling mixture at this time). Roll out the second sheet of pastry, layer it over the pastry with filling already in the tin. Spread another layer of apricot jam and finish off by sprinkling over the remaining cocoa and sugar mixture, followed by the remaining ground walnuts. Roll out the third sheet of pastry and place it on top of the layers in the tin. Bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until nicely browned. Set the slice aside and allow to cool. To make the glaze, melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over gently simmering water. Don’t allow any water to come into contact with the mixture or it will seize. Melt until well-combined and then pour evenly over the top of the slice. Use a spatula or palette knife to smooth it over. Set aside to chill. When the glaze has set, use a sharp knife dipped in boiling water to cut the slice into pieces. NB: the slice is particularly delicious on day two as the flavours develop. I see from mother's notes, once the layers were assembled with the nuts, cocoa and jam, mum used to allow the slice to rise for half an hour before baking it. I have done so on occasions and not on others. The result is successful either way. The process in pictures...And the finished slice, 'very continental'... * This recipe for Gerbeaud Slice was first published by Michael Shafran on The Melting Pot. Tell me, are you an adventurer? How do you satisfy your wanderlust? And what wonderful destinations are on your bucket list to visit?
Lizzy
23/3/2013 12:07:11 pm
Thanks Maureen... happy to oblige. ; ) Ohhhh yum! I have never eaten this, but it is something I know I would love! Strangely enough, my parents were in Budapest till yesterday (they are now in Gyor) for an Arts exhibition of my father's group... if I had read this post before, I would have told them to go taste some!!! <3
Lizzy
23/3/2013 07:24:56 pm
Hello Manu... it is one of my favourite of my mother's baked goods! How wonderful that your parents are travelling in Hungary... I wish I had posted it a day earlier ; ) 24/3/2013 09:05:46 am
Your adventure plans sound marvelous! The cake looks divine!
Lizzy
24/3/2013 08:06:28 pm
Thanks Clare... hopefully we won't be too old to enjoy our travels. Thanks for stopping by ; )
Lizzy
24/3/2013 08:06:58 pm
Thanks Celia, I think you, with your 'continental' palate, would definitely enjoy it. This recipe is very special to me xox 24/3/2013 10:21:44 am
What a yummy sounding cake, and what a lovely tribute to your mother Lizzy :) These oh-so-very-continental cakes are so different to our plain old sponges or vanilla slices aren't they? So delicious indeed!
Lizzy
24/3/2013 08:07:26 pm
Thanks Bec... very kind of you. Plain old sponges and vanilla slices are yummy too, methinks. 24/3/2013 01:21:49 pm
wowwww... seriously! that is very 'continental'. a big 'hats off' to you lizzy for tackling something so complex. it looks like something you'd enjoy in a very special cafe in europe. and it is beautiful that this honours your mother.
Lizzy
24/3/2013 08:07:55 pm
Thank you! Thank you very much. 24/3/2013 03:03:51 pm
What a lovely recipe and a lovely post Lizzy. Food is so special in it's magical ability to transport us back to a time and place, or evoke sweet memories of a much loved person.
Lizzy
24/3/2013 08:08:21 pm
Indeed it does, Kyrstie... thank you. 24/3/2013 05:40:17 pm
I love family recipes! Your slice looks so tender and flavorful (and I bet it's perfect with coffee or tea).
Lizzy
24/3/2013 08:08:38 pm
Thanks so much.... oh, it freezes well too, BTW! 24/3/2013 10:39:36 pm
Truly beautiful cafe cake. Very like a genoise in looks too. I am not much into making cakes (we prefer savoury foods) but this does look superb. All the better for it being your Mum's recipe. Family recipes are always the best. Whether a special salad, soup or this gorgeous cake. The special ingredient, of course, being love.
Lizzy
25/3/2013 08:21:02 am
Thank you Kellie, you're right, it does have something genoise about it. I know you like savoury things, but this one is soooooooooo good! And it is of course, my mother's, which makes it all the more special. As you say, love being the special ingredient xo 24/3/2013 11:20:34 pm
There's nothing better than a recipe from the heart, especially one that commemorates a loved one the way this does...knowing that your mum is with you every time you bake this slice!
Lizzy
25/3/2013 08:21:19 am
So true, Amanda. So true. Thank you for stopping by ; ) 25/3/2013 01:53:13 am
What a gorgeous tribute to your mother, Easter time must be bitter sweet for your family. A truly gorgeous looking cake! I'd love to give this a go
Lizzy
25/3/2013 08:21:48 am
Thanks Lisa... Easter is a bitter sweet time. I have lovely memories, however. ; )
Lizzy
25/3/2013 07:48:59 pm
Thank you El... I hope you do try it ; ) I hear you about the craziness at the airports... such a pity. 26/3/2013 11:00:17 am
What a lovely post in honour of your mother. An absolutely delicious dessert - I will definitely have to try it out as I adore the combination. Thanks for sharing!
Lizzy
26/3/2013 10:26:04 pm
Thanks so much... I hope you do... and thank you for stopping by xo 26/3/2013 11:23:38 am
What a lovely tribute to your mother to share her Gerbeaud slice with us. I'm sure she is smiling down on you with pleasure.
Lizzy
26/3/2013 10:26:19 pm
Aw, thank you Karen ; ) 26/3/2013 04:15:40 pm
Lovely post, Liz. Thinking of you and your mum this weekend. xx
Lizzy
26/3/2013 10:26:32 pm
Thank you Christine xox
Lizzy
8/4/2013 06:16:29 am
Thanks so much, Azita xo
Lizzy
8/4/2013 06:17:12 am
Thanks Christie, actually my mother wrote it down twice for me. Glad you like it. 8/4/2013 11:27:33 pm
Just one word "Mouth-watering" by the way we following each other in twitter mine @__Shilpi__
Lizzy
8/4/2013 11:39:17 pm
Hello there and thanks so much! Thank you for visiting ;)
Theresa
15/2/2014 02:57:45 pm
This slice looks wonderful. Could you just let me know if you remove it from the tin to cool before apply the glaze, or do you cool it in the tin? Thank you.
Lizzy
15/2/2014 03:34:23 pm
Theresa, thank you for your kind words… you can do either. I like to allow the slice to cool in the tin, then decorate with the chocolate, and allow it to cool again.
Joanne
21/2/2014 06:11:29 am
Thanks so much! My grandmother used to make this and I never got her recipe. I'll try this weekend.
Carol
14/3/2014 12:21:41 pm
This looks so delicious. Until recently I used to avoid making anything with yeast but I am not so scared off anymore and will attempt your fabulous cake. My dear father passed away last month and given the chance he would have always opted for sweets for entre, main and dessert so I will be making and eating this in his honour. Thank you. 29/2/2016 06:06:51 pm
I adore recipes with soul, a stunning gift from your Mum to share. As a great lover of apricot jam and walnuts I look forward to passing a little of your memories to my friends. Thank you xx Comments are closed.
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Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion. Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes; postcards and morsels from my travels; conversations with cookery writers and chefs; and news on food, cookbooks and cooking. - Liz Posmyk
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