This traditional Hungarian pastry is an absolute family favourite at Christmas! The pastry is so moist with a layer of rich tangy homemade plum jam and layers of sweetened fine walnuts making it a perfect delicious dessert or snack.
This Hungarian walnut and plum jam pastry has been in my family for generations when my grandma first made it. Mom inherited a lot of grandma’s baking and cooking. She would make this pastry for us during the holidays. With nine children, this pastry would last a few days rather then one day as most do.
This pastry has a perfect balance of the sweetened walnuts and the tangy plum jam with a soft layers of pastry in between. We would make plum jam every year when the prune plums were in season and preserve them all ready for this delicious dessert.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- all-purpose flour
- raw fine sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- unsalted butter
- eggs
- sour cream
- pure vanilla
- walnuts
- plum jam
BAKING TIPS
- When making this pastry recipe, kneading is required once the ingredients are combined. Only knead for 5 minutes, long enough for the dough to become soft and smooth.
- I have only known this recipe to use plum jar as one of the layers. If you decide to used a different jam filling, the flavour will be sweeter. The plum jam recipe I have made is my Mom’s recipe and it has very little sugar added with a tangy taste. That’s what we love about this recipe is it isn’t overly sweet and the tangy plum jam really balances well with the sweetness added to the walnuts.
- We have always known to make this recipe using sour cream, and if you were wondering if you could substitute Greek yogurt, and I would think that should not be a problem.
HOW TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE
In large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut butter into the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, a fork or your hands to blend together until it is a coarse mixture. Add beaten egg, sour cream and vanilla to the flour and butter mixture.
Combine all the ingredients together with your hands until the dough comes together. Transfer onto the counter and knead dough for about 5 minutes until the dough becomes soft and relatively smooth. Overmixing or kneading is not required for this recipe. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Roll out the first layer of dough to about 3/8 inch thickness and place into baking dish or pan.
Combine walnut and sugar mixture and spread 2/3 of the walnut and sugar mixture evenly over the layer of dough. Roll out the second layer and carefully add over the nut mixture, adjusting the edges to make sure the dough covers the walnut layer. Next evenly spread the plum jam over the second layer of dough. Roll out the third layer of dough and carefully place over the jam layer, making sure the sides and edges are completely covering the plum jam layer. Brush the top layer of dough with beaten egg and make even fork markings throughout and sprinkle the remaining nut mixture on top.
IMPORTANT...when using a glass baking dish, reduce the temperature from 350°F to 325°F. The cake may be ready 5 minutes earlier as well.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides and top are golden in colour. Insert a toothpick to check the center for doneness. Allow to cool in pan on a cooling rack.
Once the cake has cooled, cut the pastry either into squares or diamond shapes and why I say diamond shapes is my Mom would cut them that way. She said, it looks pretty and she really like how they cooked on her pastry platter with all of her other desserts and pastries….and she was right!
STORING: when it comes to storing this delicious cake, you can leave it at room temperature in a cooler area in a container with a lid. This cake freezer really well. We would make it a month or two before Christmas and freeze it in a storage container suitable for the freezer. Take it out the day before and leave it at room temperature before serving.
Did you make this recipe? I would love to hear your comments……
Hungarian Layered Walnut and Plum Cake (Dió Szilvás Sütemény)
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch baking pan or baking dish
Ingredients
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup raw fine sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 lb cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 1/2 pint full fat sour cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups walnuts, finely ground
- 1/2 cup raw fine sugar
- 2 cups homemade or store-bought plum jam
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- In large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Cut butter into the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, a fork or your hands to blend together until it is a coarse mixture.
- Add beaten egg, sour cream and vanilla to the flour and butter mixture. Combine all the ingredients together with your hands until the dough comes together. Transfer onto the counter and knead dough for about 5 minutes until the dough becomes soft and relatively smooth. Overmixing or kneading is not required for this recipe.
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Roll out the first layer of dough to about 3/8 inch thickness and place into baking dish or pan.
- Combine walnut and sugar mixture and spread 2/3 of the walnut and sugar mixture evenly over the layer of dough. Roll out the second layer and carefully add over the nut mixture, adjusting the edges to make sure the dough covers the walnut layer. Next evenly spread the plum jam over the second layer of dough. Roll out the third layer of dough and carefully place over the jam layer, making sure the sides and edges are completely covering the plum jam layer. .
- Brush the top layer of dough with beaten egg and make even fork markings throughout and sprinkle the remaining nut mixture on top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides and top are golden in colour. Insert a toothpick to check the center for doneness.
- Allow to cool in pan on a cooling rack. Cut the pastry into squares or diamond shapes. Enjoy!
