The Hungarian Girl » Food

Honey cake

Monika Topolko — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:28:35 +0000

Honey cake is one of the most popular traditional desserts in Croatia. It consists of thin layers of biscuit made with honey and vanilla flavored cream filling. This version contains both vanilla and cocoa which gives it just the right amount of sweetness. It makes a great accompaniment with tea or coffee.

For the biscuit layers

Ingredients

3 cups + 2 tbsp (400 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking soda
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2/3 cup (150 grams) fine sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Mix together flour and baking soda and set aside. In a saucepan heat milk, honey, oil and sugar on medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add flour mixture and egg. Mix with a wooden spoon until it combines together and then knead with your hands into a dough. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Take one piece of the dough and roll it out on a piece of parchment paper into a rectangle about 2 mm thick. Transfer the flattened dough together with parchment paper on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes or until just golden but not brown. Make sure you don’t over-bake as it tends to burn easily since it is very thin. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely. Once cooled, the cake layers should become hard and stiff. Handle them with care as they are fragile and tend to break easily. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.

For the cream filling

Ingredients

2 cups (500 ml) milk
2/3 cup (150 grams) fine sugar
1 tbsp vanilla sugar
6 tbsp semolina
2 sticks (200 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp dark rum

Directions

In a medium saucepan heat milk, sugar and vanilla sugar. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in semolina and cook until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. Meanwhile, beat the butter until light and creamy and mix it into the filling. Mix cocoa powder and rum into 1/3 of the filling.

Assembly

Sprinkle one cake layer with some rum, spread half of the white filling over it and cover with another layer. Press gently with your hands so it sticks to the filling. Again sprinkle the cake with rum and now spread the dark filling over it. Cover with the third layer, press gently and sprinkle with rum. Spread the remaining white filling over it, cover with the last layer and sprinkle with some rum. Don’t worry if your layers aren’t perfectly shaped. Cover tight with a plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight (two days would be ideal). You will probably notice that the cake layers are quite hard when you’re assembling the cake, but don’t worry. They will soften up considerably overnight under plastic wrap and the cake will literally melt in your mouth. You can cut away the non-perfect parts the next day and shape or cut the cake as you like.

How to cook a great goulash

The Hungarian Girl — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:15:18 +0000

Originating as a staple for herdsman’s traveling across the great plains of Hungary many centuries ago, goulash is one of Hungary’s most famous dishes. A hearty soup of beef, vegetables, and paprika, goulash gets its flavor from being cooked slowly over a long period of time. Making goulash is fairly simple but to make a great goulash, you’ll need to have the essential ingredients as well as the right techniques. Here are some suggestions on how to make a great goulash.

Goulash with egg noodles and pepper.

Use the right cut of meat

Hungarian chef George Lang wrote frequently about goulash in his books such as “The Cuisine of Hungary” (1971), the first work in English on Hungarian cooking, and “Lang’s Compendium of Culinary Nonsense and Trivia” (1980). He firmly stated, “The more parts of beef and beef innards are used, the better the gulyás will be.” Keeping that in mind, well marbled pieces of meat with lots of connective tissue often work best with goulash. These cuts won’t dry out in the long cooking process but rather the tissue and marbling will melt and give the goulash body. Chucks, shanks, and even organs are all good choices for goulash.

Don’t rush it

It’s best to cook your goulash at a very low temperature, just below a simmer if possible. This will allow the meat to become tender in it’s own time. You can also add additional spices while your goulash is simmering until it reaches your desired taste. When adding the potatoes, wait until your goulash has simmered for a while so that it doesn’t overcook and disintegrate. Potatoes should be added when there’s about 40 minutes of cooking time remaining.

Select the right type of equipment

Originally goulash was cooked in cast-iron kettles known as bogrács hung over an open fire. Of course, nowadays, most people don’t necessarily cook goulash like this for obvious reasons, however, it is still important to use the right equipment. Ensure that you use a heavy-duty pot with a lid, this can include pots made from cast iron or steel. This will help to ensure the heat is retained and distributed evenly in the cooking process.

Spice it up

Paprika is the essential spice in goulash. Be sure to choose fresh, quality paprika that is evenly and finely ground. The redder the color, the milder the paprika. On the contrary, the more yellow the color, the stronger the flavor. How you handle the paprika is also a key factor in making a great pot of goulash. Care must be taken when cooking with paprika. Due to the high sugar content contained in the spice, if paprika is fried for too long or at a temperature that is too high, it will rapidly turn bitter. This can happen in the matter of a few seconds and could potentially spoil a good pot of goulash.

Top it up

Although, goulash can be eaten as a stand alone dish, it’s also great with egg noodles also known as “nokedli” in Hungarian. You can make this tasty side dish while your goulash is simmering and when your ready to serve the dish, simply add it on top. Other great accompaniments to goulash include a side of crusty bread or even cucumber salad with sour cream. A bottle of Hungarian red wine also works very well with goulash.

Types of Hungarian paprika

The Hungarian Girl — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 06:39:53 +0000

Dried Hungarian peppers hanging on a wall. Much of Hungary’s paprika comes from the villages of Kalocsa and Szeged, located in southern Hungary.

Often referred to as “Hungary’s red gold”, paprika has become synonymous with Hungarian food due to its ability to add excellent flavor and color to various traditional dishes.

There are several versions of paprika ranging from édes (sweet) to eros (hot) as well as everything in between.

Below is a list of the types of paprika available in Hungary.

Special quality (Különleges)
Of all the varieties of Hungarian paprika, this is the richest in color. It is fiery red and has an excellent flavor and aroma. It is also one of the mildest types.

Delicate (Csípmentes csemege)
This type of paprika is made from carefully selected pods of the highest quality. Its color ranges from a light to a darker shade of crimson, depending on the vintage. It has a very fine taste and aroma but is not spicy.

Exquisite delicate (Csemege paprika)
This has the same qualities as the sweet variety except that it has a pleasant, mild, spicy flavor.

Pungent exquisite delicate (Csípos csemege, pikáns)
Similar to exquisite delicate paprika but is decisively hotter. It contains at least 25 mg of capsaicin, and is one of the most popular of the hot paprika spices.

Noble sweet (Édesnemes)
This type of Hungarian paprika is the most well-known throughout the world. It is made from pods of extremely high quality and has a mild spicy flavor. The oil content of the paprika seed milled with it brings out the bright red color. Its taste and aroma is considered to be one of the best.

Semi-sweet (Félédes)
This is somewhat hotter than the varieties mentioned above, so a smaller quantity is sufficient to produce a hot, spicy flavor.

Rose (Rózsa)
This paprika is pale red in color. It is hot and has a strong aroma. It is recommended for those who like their food spicy.

Hot (Eros)
The hottest of the paprika spices that is light brownish yellow. It is particularly good with dishes made with mutton or game. It is for those who like a spice to be fiery hot.

Rakott krumpli

Zita Nagy — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:34:59 +0000

Rakott Krumpli is one of Hungary’s most favorite comfort foods. It contains a generous amount of sour cream along with potatoes and smoked Hungarian sausage which gives it a very rich and creamy taste.

Ingredients

8 medium red potatoes
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup (300 grams) sour cream
1 smoked Hungarian sausage (hot or mild), thinly sliced
1/2 cup (100 grams) trappista or cheddar cheese, grated
salt, pepper
butter to grease casserole dish

Directions

Place potatoes in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes until just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch rounds. Set aside.

In another large pot, cook eggs until hard-boiled, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel the egg shells. Cut the hard-boiled eggs into 1/2-inch rounds. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Butter bottom and sides of a medium casserole dish. Arrange 1/3 of potatoes in bottom of casserole dish. Cover with 1/3 of eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with 1/3 of sausage followed by 1/3 of sour cream. Continue layering, ending with potato layer and sour cream on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake for about 40 minutes covered, then 10 minutes without cover until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Serve warm with fresh salad or pickled cucumber.

Traditional Hungarian Christmas foods

The Hungarian Girl — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:39:59 +0000

To Hungarian children, of course, it’s all about Mikulás. But for the grown-ups, Christmas celebrations in Hungary focus a lot on the culinary delights. Here are a few of the highlights.

Vanilla Kifli are a common treat made for Christmas in Hungary.

Halászlé (Fish Soup)

As a relic of the earlier church tradition of fasting for Advent, it is still traditional for fish to be eaten by many Hungarians families on Christmas Eve.

Roast Goose

Goose is quite popular in Hungary and many families will prepare the dish for Christmas dinner. Frequently it is stuffed with a mixture of apples and prunes or even sweet chestnuts.

Ham

Ham is likely to feature at one stage or another on the table during the Christmas season. It can be eaten cold, or roasted in the oven. In some rural villages of Hungary, pork butchering still takes place.

Beigli (Poppy Seed Roll)

Beigli is one of the most famous indulgences of Christmas in Hungary. This rich sweet bread contains walnuts, sugar and sultanas. Another popular variation is using poppy seeds as the main filling.

Vanilla Kifli (Crescent Cookies)

Crescent shaped cookies made from ground nuts with confectioners’ sugar sprinkled on top.

Szaloncukor (Candy)

A traditional Hungarian candy that is often hung on the Christmas tree as decoration. It is made of fondant, covered by chocolate and wrapped in shiny coloured foil. The tradition started in the 19th century. It was named Szaloncukor because the tree usually stood in the parlour, the most luxurious room in the houses of the nobility and middle-classes.

Mézeskalács (Honey Cakes)

Similar to gingerbread these cookies are made with honey and spices. Some have decorative shapes which are glazed with red icing and include colorful designs or messages.

Mákos Guba Mézzel (Poppy Seed Bread Pudding with Honey)

A particular favorite around Christmas, this dish contains bread with milk, honey, sugar, and poppy seeds. Originally, poppy seeds were used as a fertility charm to ensure a plentiful harvest in the coming year.

Forralt bor (Mulled wine)

This popular hot spiced wine is served during the cold winter months throughout Europe. It is made with red wine and seasoned with cinnamon, cloves, citrus and sugar. At the markets, vendors will offer various additions to the mulled wine, such as a shot of rum, amaretto, or elderberry cordial.

Paprenjak

Monika Topolko — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:02:29 +0000

Paprenjak is a traditional Croatian biscuit that contains a unique mix of honey, walnuts, pepper and spices. Its origin is still unclear but it is known to have existed since the 16th century and more lately its become a family tradition in many Croatian homes to make paprenjak for Christmas. To make paprenjak you need special wooden mould’s that are used to imprint various patterns in the dough.

Makes 40 cookies

Ingredients

4 cups (450 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (180 grams) unsalted butter
1 cup (150 grams) ground walnuts
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
1 large egg
2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp white pepper

Directions

In a large bowl combine flour and butter. With the tips of your fingers, rub butter into flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add walnuts and sugar and stir to combine.

Add egg yolks and one egg, honey and spices. Combine ingredients using your hands and gather into a ball. Knead the dough for 10 minutes or until you get a firm ball. The dough will still be a bit sticky but don’t add any more flour. Divide in half, flatten into discs and wrap each disc in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a well floured surface, roll dough until it’s 5-7 mm thick. Using a special wooden mould, make imprints on the dough and cut them out with a sharp knife. Carefully transfer to prepared baking sheets. If you don’t have moulds, use cookie cutters of desired shape and size.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven as soon as they start to get color on the edges. The baking time will vary depending on the size of cookies. Cool completely on a wire rack and transfer to airtight container. Allow the cookies to soften up for two days before serving. They can be kept in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks.

Hungarian Christmas honey cookies

The Hungarian Girl — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 05:06:59 +0000

Honey cookies also known as mézeskalács are a traditional Christmas treat in Hungary and are often sold at festivals and markets. Similar to gingerbread, these cookies are made with honey and spices and are decorated with white sugar icing. This recipe is an adaptation from Nora Papp’s recipe, who is the creator and editor of Wise Lady, a blog about Hungarian food.

Hungarian Christmas Honey Cookies. Photo by Nora Papp.

Ingredients

Dough:

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (115 grams) granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups (435 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa
5 tbsp honey
2 large eggs

Decoration:

1 egg white
1 1/4 cup (275 grams) confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions

Sift together flour, baking soda, and spices into a large bowl. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer beat butter, sugar and eggs.

In a small pot over high heat, melt honey. Add to mixture and beat well, continue by adding the flour mixture gradually. If dough is too sticky, add more flour.

Gather into ball. Divide in half and flatten into discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 degrees °C) and line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper.

Hungarian Christmas Honey Cookies. Photo by Nora Papp.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough until it’s 1/8-inch’s thick. Cut out desired shapes and place on baking sheet.

Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

For icing, beat egg whites until foamy. Add lemon juice and beat again for 2 minutes. Add sugar gradually and beat until completely incorporated. If icing is too runny, add more sugar until smooth and creamy.

Put icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip. Pipe designs on cookies. Let icing set completely at room temperature, about 1 hour.

Fritule

Monika Topolko — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 07:29:16 +0000

Fritule is a traditional Croatian pastry that is most commonly made for Christmas.

Fritule is a traditional Croatian pastry that is most commonly made for Christmas. Although very similar to a doughnut these fluffy pastries are actually much smaller in size and are shaped into round balls. In this recipe, sour cream and grated apples are used to give it a richer taste. They make an excellent accompaniment to coffee or tea.

Ingredients

350 grams all-purpose flour
10 grams baking powder
1 medium-sized apple, peeled and grated
200 ml sour cream
50 grams sugar
10 grams vanilla sugar
1 large egg
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
zest of lemon, finely grated
1 tbsp dark rum
1 tbsp oil, plus more for frying
confectioners’ sugar

Directions

In a medium bowl combine flour and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix grated apple with sour cream, sugar, vanilla sugar and egg using a hand mixer or a whisk. Add salt, cinnamon, lemon zest and rum. Mix to combine.

Gradually add flour and baking powder mixing continuously until well incorporated. Stir in a tablespoon of oil.

Heat a generous amount of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Carefully drop about a tablespoon of the dough into the hot oil, frying in batches.

Fry for 2-3 minutes on both sides, or until golden brown. Remove fritters out with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Allow to cool slightly and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

Chefparade Cooking School

The Hungarian Girl — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:34:02 +0000

An instructor teaching a lesson at the Chefparade Cooking School in Budapest. The school offers various classes on Hungarian cooking for visitors.

One of the highlights of any trip to Hungary is the food. Even if you don’t expect to do much Hungarian cooking, a cooking class is a fun and interesting way to learn about the local ingredients and how to prepare some of the most popular dishes.

Located in the 9th district of Budapest, Chefparade Cooking School offers participants the opportunity to master the basics of Hungarian cooking alongside experienced chefs.

A typical day begins with a visit to the Great Market Hall, the most famous and largest indoor market in Budapest. Here participants can gain an insight into the foods that are available in Hungary while learning about the history of Hungarian cuisine.

All classes are held in a modern kitchen, with a full stove and workstation for each participant. There is the option to select either a three or four-course menu (appetizer, main, and dessert). Dishes include favorites such as sour cherry soup, chicken paprikás, stuffed paparika, Hungarian style-pancakes and apple strudel.

Creamy potato soup with sausage, one of the many typical Hungarian dishes that participants can learn to prepare at the school.

As well as the kitchen, the school has a large communal dining table where participants can sit down at the end of class to eat the dishes they’ve prepared. Local wines are also included. ”There’s a lot of cooking involved in our classes but we also like to emphasis the experience of meeting new friends and socializing,” explains Lekrinszki.

For anyone seeking to develop a deeper appreciation of the flavors, history and culture of Hungarian cuisine, will find great pleasure in attending a class here.

Classes are offered in both English and Hungarian and are approximately 3-4 hours in length.

Chefparade Cooking School
Address: H-1094 Budapest Páva u. 13, district IX.
Tel: +36/1/215-0175
E-mail: info@cookingbudapest.com
Website: http://www.chefparade.hu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffW4bxw2D50

Paprika-spiced cauliflower soup

Zita Nagy — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:13:25 +0000

Paprika-spiced cauliflower soup

During the colder months in Eastern Europe, its common to find soups made from vegetables such as cauliflower, as it tolerates frost well and can be stored for a long time. This version of cauliflower soup includes paprika which gives it a nice flavor. Although, every family has their own version, my grandmother cooked cauliflower soup with paprika, my mother without it.

Ingredients

1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 medium-sized cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
1 parsnip, sliced
1/3 cup soup noodle *
3 cups water
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp white spelt flour
2 tsp paprika
salt, pepper to taste
dollop of sour cream
chopped parsley for garish

Directions

Heat sunflower oil in a large saucepan. Add chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add carrot, parsnip, cauliflower and saute for another 3-5 minutes. Add flour, paprika and stir while pouring the water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, then add the noodle and cook until vegetables and noodle are tender. Garnish with parsley. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

* Hungarian soup noodle is a kind of small pasta that can be cooked directly in soup or water, or in stew broth. It is a great accompaniment for Hungarian Beef Goulash or any dish rich with pan juices or gravy. You can substitute it with any kind of Italian small pasta (pastina) like gramigna, gobbetti, farfalline, lancette, treccine, ditaloni rigati, etc.