Gerbeaud Cake

Ah! Gerbeaud Cake (or Zserbó Szelet) is a classic Hungarian layered dessert—rich, buttery, and delicious. It’s traditionally made with layers of yeast dough, apricot jam, walnuts, and chocolate glaze. Perfect for a special occasion or a treat with coffee.

Here’s a clear recipe:

Ingredients

For the Dough

400 g (3 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter, softened
100 g (½ cup) sugar
2 eggs
20 g (½ oz) fresh yeast or 7 g (1 packet) dry yeast
100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) milk, lukewarm
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

For the Filling

300 g (3 cups) ground walnuts
150 g (¾ cup) sugar
250 g (1 cup) apricot jam

For the Glaze

100 g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate
50 g (3.5 tbsp) butter

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dough

Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 tsp sugar; let it froth (~5–10 minutes).
Mix flour, sugar, salt, and butter into crumbs.
Add eggs, vanilla, and yeast mixture; knead into a smooth dough.
Cover and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.

2. Prepare the Filling

Mix ground walnuts and sugar in a bowl.

3. Assemble the Layers

Divide the dough into 3 equal parts.
Roll the first part to fit a greased baking pan (~9×13 inches). Place it in the pan.
Spread ½ of the apricot jam over the dough, then ½ of the walnut mixture.
Roll the second part of dough and place it on top. Repeat with remaining jam and walnuts.
Roll the last part and place it on top as the final layer.

4. Bake

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
Bake 35–40 minutes until golden brown.
Let cool completely.

5. Add Chocolate Glaze

Melt chocolate and butter together over low heat or in a double boiler.
Pour over the cooled cake and spread evenly.
Let the glaze set before cutting.

Tips

For easier cutting, refrigerate after glazing for 30–60 minutes.
You can toast the walnuts lightly for extra flavor.
Slice into small squares—rich and sweet!

💡 Fun Fact:
Zserbó (Gerbeaud cake) was named after Emil Gerbeaud, a famous 19th-century Hungarian confectioner. It’s considered a classic Hungarian dessert and is often served at celebrations.

If you want, I can also give a quick, simpler version of Gerbeaud Cake that doesn’t require yeast—perfect if you want the taste without the long preparation.

Do you want me to do that?