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The Hungarian Walnut Roulade, also known as “Beigli” is a traditional Hungarian dessert that consists of a rolled pastry filled with a sweet walnut filling. This dessert is often enjoyed during special occasions and holidays, such as Christmas and Easter. The pastry is typically made from a yeasted dough, and the filling is made from ground walnuts, sugar, and sometimes spices like cinnamon or vanilla. The rolled pastry is then baked until golden brown and usually dusted with powdered sugar before serving. It’s a delightful and flavorful treat that’s popular in Hungarian cuisine.
How to make the Beigli walnut roulade?
The dough used for walnut roulade is a simple one, based on flour, egg yolks, milk, soft butter and yeast. However, opinions are divided when it comes to proofing the Beigli dough.
Some say that the dough for walnut roulade should not be left to rise, but instead should be refrigerated immediately after kneading.
Others believe that the dough for walnut roulade, like any other dough, should be allowed to rise before being used as the base for this delicious dessert.
I chose the second option, so I decided to let the dough rise after kneading, allowing it to double in size. Only after that, I rolled out the dough on a floured surface using a rolling pin.
The dough layer was very thin before adding the filling. The filling is a mixture of beaten egg whites foam, coarsely chopped walnuts, sugar, and optionally, you can add cocoa powder or carob powder.
Traditional Hungarian Beigli can also be filled with poppy seeds previously boiled in milk, but trying to prepare a kid-friendly version, I chose to make walnut roulade and walnut cocoa roulade this time, replacing cocoa powder with carob powder.
Most likely, the dough will crack during baking. But that’s not a problem. Although you might come across many recipes that claim that if you do a certain thing during walnut roulade preparation, it won’t crack, I don’t believe that’s true. But go ahead and try, maybe it will work for you.
My walnut roulade cracks during baking, sometimes my sweet bread cracks during baking too, but I’m not bothered by it. After all, this is an authentic sign of homemade desserts, without additives or harmful substances, and the most important thing is the taste, isn’t it?
So, don’t worry if your walnut roulade dough cracks. Even so, the taste will be wonderful, appreciated by both adults and children.
How achieve an egg whites foam?
The egg white foam is a simple yet essential preparation used especially in many dessert recipes. Starting with meringues, marshmallows or sponge cake (https://easeyourcooking.com/cherry-cake-super-easy-fresh-recipe/) batter, many of these sweet treats are based on egg whites foam.
Today, we need egg whites foam to create the mixture with which we will later fill the dough and create the delicious walnut roulade.
We need 3 simple ingredients for this foam: egg whites, a teaspoon of sugar, and a pinch of salt.
I chose to use the Thermomix to obtain this foam, but it’s extremely easy to make even with a hand mixer. Using a mixer, add the egg whites into a deep and spacious bowl, add the pinch of salt and teaspoon of sugar (brown sugar, in my case).
Then, start the mixer on medium speed and beat the egg whites together with the sugar and salt for about 2 minutes. Afterwards, you can increase the speed gradually until you reach the mixer’s maximum speed. You will see that after 4-5 minutes, you’ll have obtained a dense, fluffy, and firm foam. In case you have a larger quantity of sugar to incorporate into this foam, add the sugar gradually, one teaspoon at a time, from the beginning of the mixing process until the end.
This way, the sugar will be fully incorporated into the foam and won’t remain undissolved in the dessert you’ll prepare later. Today, I chose to use only a teaspoon of brown sugar for obtaining the egg white foam, with the rest of the sugar being added to the mixture later.
If you own a Thermomix (https://easeyourcooking.com/my-thermomix-review-life-changing/), you will achieve this spectacular egg whites foam in no time. Simply, insert the butterfly whisk into the mixing bowl, then add the egg whites, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and 1 pinch of salt into the mixing bowl. Start the Thermomix using 4 MIN – Speed 3.5. That’s all you need to do 😊
But, it is IMPORTANT to understand that the mixing bowl must be clean and completely dry before adding the necessary ingredients for the egg whites foam.
If you need some help for better understanding how to make this incredible egg whites foam using the Thermomix, feel free to enjoy the video below:
Full Recipe – Hungarian Walnut Roulade
I made this Walnut Roulade recipe using the Thermomix, but you already know you don’t have to own one to achieve the same delicious result. So, if you don’t have this kitchen gadget, simply use a mixer and some bowls and you can follow the same steps, by adapting the time to your cooking skills.
Hungarian Walnut Roulade
Equipment
- 1 Thermomix / Mixer
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Oven
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 gr Plain flour
- 3 pcs Egg yolks
- 50 gr Brown sugar
- 100 ml Milk
- 250 gr Butter room temperature
- 20 gr Fresh yeast
- Vanilla sugar / Vanilla extract
Filling
- 500 gr Nuts
- 3 pcs Egg whites
- 100 gr Brown sugar
- 2 spoon Cocoa powder / carob powder Optional
Instructions
- First,we are going to prepare the walnut roulade dough. For this, we will pour the milk in the mixing bowl, then add the fresh yeast (crushed with your fingers) and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. Mix them 1 MIN – 38o Celsius– Speed 2;IMPORTANT: After the 2 minutes, let the lid on top of the mixing bowl for extra 5 minutes,to allow the composition to swell
- After those extra 5 minutes, add 2 egg yolks, the rest of the sugar, the butter and vanilla sugar/ vanilla extract into the mixing bowl and mix them all 1 MIN –Speed 3.5; (The remaining egg yolk will be used later, to brush the surface of the sweet bread);
- Using a sieve, add the flour into the mixing bowl and KNEAD – 5 MIN;
- Place the dough into a bowl and cover it with plastic foil until you prepare the filling (30 minutes should be enough to let the dough rise and double its volume);
- Now,let’s prepare the filling. Clean and dry the mixing bowl. Place the butterfly whisk into the bowl and add the egg whites, 1 pinch of salt and 1teaspoon brown sugar. Create a foam using 4 MIN – Speed 3.5;
- Divide the foam into two separate bowls;
- Rinse the mixing bowl. Add the shelled nuts and grate them for 4 SEC – Speed 5;
- Into one bowl, mix the egg whites foam with ½ quantity of the nuts and cocoa/ carob powder and ½ of the remaining brown sugar; into the other one, mix the egg whites foam with the remaining amount of nuts and the remaining brown sugar. If you feel the mixtures are too hard to mix, pour ½-1 teaspoon of milk to make it smoother.
- Divide the dough into 4 similar balls. On a floured surface, start spreading each dough using a rolling pin. Take into account that the dough sheet has to be very thin when starting to add the filling;
- Add the filling, then fold the edges of the dough sheet, so that you will make sure the filling won’t run out on the sidelines; Roll the dough until you get a nice baigli roll;
- Place the four rolls into a baking tray covered with baking paper, allowing 1 cm distance between them;
- Prick the surface of the rolls with a fork, to release the air from the rols;
- Beat the remaining egg yolks with 1 teaspoon of milk into a small bowl and brush the surface of the baigli rolls;
- Bake the rolls into the preheated oven for approx. 40 minutes at 180oCelsius; After the first 10 minutes of the baking process, place a baking paper on top of the rolls, to prevent excessive baking on top of the rolls;
- Once the time runs out, take the baigli rolls out of the oven and let them completely cool, before cutting them.
Video
Nutrition
Enjoy! 😊
In conclusion, the Hungarian Walnut Roulade (Beigli) is a cherished dessert that beautifully captures the essence of Hungarian culinary tradition. Its layers of delicate dough and rich, nutty filling create a symphony of flavors and textures that are sure to delight your taste buds.
Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply indulging in a delightful treat, this dessert holds a special place on the table. As you savor each bite of this delectable pastry, you’re not just enjoying a dessert; you’re partaking in a culinary journey that reflects the warmth and history of Hungarian cuisine. So, gather your loved ones, slice a piece of this wonderful roulade, and relish in the sweet joy it brings. Until the next easy and delicious recipe, I wish you all a great time with your family and friends. Bye 😊
