Hungarian Beigli

Ah! You’re talking about Hungarian Beigli—a traditional Hungarian pastry, usually enjoyed at Christmas, filled with poppy seeds (mákos) or walnuts (diós). It’s a rolled yeast dough pastry, slightly sweet, rich, and beautifully swirled. Here’s a detailed recipe:

Hungarian Beigli (Poppy Seed or Walnut Roll)

Makes 2 large rolls

Ingredients

For the Dough:

4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 g) sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tsp active dry yeast
¾ cup (180 ml) milk, warm
2 large eggs
½ cup (115 g) butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon (optional, for aroma)

For the Filling:

Poppy Seed (Mákos) Filling:

1 cup (140 g) poppy seeds, ground
½ cup (100 g) sugar
½ cup milk
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

Walnut (Diós) Filling:

1 cup (120 g) ground walnuts
½ cup (100 g) sugar
½ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cocoa powder (optional)

Egg Wash:

1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

Instructions

Prepare the Dough
- Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 tsp sugar; let sit 5–10 min until foamy.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add yeast mixture, eggs, vanilla, and butter.
- Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes.
- Cover and let rise 1–1.5 hours until doubled.
Prepare the Filling
- For poppy seeds: simmer milk, sugar, and honey, then stir in ground poppy seeds and vanilla. Cool.
- For walnuts: simmer milk and sugar, then stir in walnuts, cocoa (if using), and vanilla. Cool.
Roll the Dough
- Divide dough into 2 pieces.
- Roll each into a rectangle (~10×14 inches).
- Spread filling evenly, leaving ~½ inch border on edges.
- Roll tightly from the long side and seal edges.
Bake
- Place rolls seam-side down on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush with egg wash.
- Let rise 20–30 minutes.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35–40 minutes until golden.
Cool & Serve
- Cool completely before slicing to reveal the beautiful swirl.

Tips & Variations

Brush with apricot jam after baking for extra shine.
Sprinkle powdered sugar before serving.
Freeze before baking for fresh pastries later.

If you want, I can also give you a “super easy Beigli shortcut” version that’s quicker but still tastes traditional, perfect for first-timers.

Do you want me to do that?