Ah! You’re talking about Zserbó (Gerbeaud Slice) — a classic Hungarian layered pastry 🍫🍑, named after the famous Budapest confectioner Gerbeaud. It’s sweet, nutty, fruity, and topped with chocolate.
Here’s how to make it:
🍰 Zserbó (Hungarian Gerbeaud Slice)
Ingredients
Dough (Yeast Pastry)
- 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 250 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g (½ cup) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 25 g fresh yeast or 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) milk, lukewarm
- Pinch of salt
Filling
- 300 g (3 cups) walnuts, finely ground
- 150 g (¾ cup) sugar
- 200 g (¾ cup) apricot jam
Topping
- 150 g (5 oz) dark chocolate
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Prepare the dough
- Warm the milk and dissolve yeast with a teaspoon of sugar. Let sit 5–10 min until foamy.
- Mix flour, sugar, salt, eggs, butter, and yeast mixture. Knead into a soft, smooth dough.
- Cover and let rise 1 hour, until doubled in size.
- Divide and roll
- Divide dough into 3 equal parts.
- Roll each part into a rectangle roughly the size of your baking pan (approx. 9×13 in / 23×33 cm).
- Assemble layers
- Place the first layer in a greased baking pan. Spread 1/3 of apricot jam, then 1/3 of ground walnuts.
- Repeat with the second layer.
- Place the third layer on top without filling.
- Bake
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Bake 35–40 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool completely in pan.
- Add chocolate glaze
- Melt chocolate with butter.
- Spread evenly over the cooled pastry.
- Let set at room temperature or in the fridge.
- Slice and serve
- Cut into squares or diamonds.
Tips for Perfect Zserbó
- Jam layer: Warm slightly for easier spreading.
- Walnuts: Lightly toast for extra flavor.
- Chocolate: Use good-quality dark chocolate for the topping.
Variations
- Almond Zserbó: Substitute walnuts with almonds.
- Apricot-free: Use plum or raspberry jam.
- Mini Zserbó: Make small, individual slices for parties.
If you want, I can give you a step-by-step “authentic Budapest bakery” version with extra gooey layers and perfect chocolate topping — it’s a bit more advanced but legendary.
Do you want me to do that?
