Description
Hungarian Dios Beigli is a traditional holiday walnut roll characterized by a rich, spiced walnut filling wrapped in a buttery yeast dough, baked to a golden mahogany finish with a shiny crackled top. Perfect for Christmas celebrations or family gatherings, this festive dessert combines zesty lemon, sweet honey, and warm cinnamon in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons room-temperature water
- 1.5 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2.67 cups cake flour (2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
- 2.08 cups all-purpose flour (2 cups plus 1 tablespoon)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 tablespoons lard or unsalted butter
- 0.5 cups confectioners’ sugar plus 1 tablespoon
- 0.75 teaspoon table salt
Walnut Filling
- 2.75 cups shelled walnuts plus 2 tablespoons
- 0.75 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.33 cup lemon zest (about 6 lemons)
- 4 tablespoons honey plus 1 teaspoon
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon
- 0.33 cup vegetable oil plus 2 tablespoons
- 0.33 cup water
- 0.25 cup raisins
Glaze
- 1 large egg, separated
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a bowl, mix water, instant yeast, and cake flour. Add all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, lard (or unsalted butter), confectioners’ sugar, and table salt. Stir briefly, then knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two equal parts. Flatten each into a 6-inch square, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour to relax the gluten and facilitate rolling.
- Prepare the Walnut Filling: Process two-thirds of the walnuts finely in a food processor, but stop before they become pasty. Roughly chop the remaining walnuts and combine all walnuts with dry breadcrumbs, ground cinnamon, and fresh lemon zest in a mixing bowl.
- Cook and Cool the Filling: In a small saucepan, bring honey, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, water, and raisins to a boil. Pour the hot mixture over the nut mixture and stir well to evenly coat. Spread the filling on a tray and let cool completely before use.
- Roll and Fill the Dough: Lightly tap the chilled dough to soften it, then roll each half into a 10×12-inch rectangle with one short side facing you. Brush the edges with water and fold in about 1/2 inch along both long sides and the bottom short edge to seal. Spread half the cooled walnut filling on each rectangle, leaving about 1 inch bare along the far short edge.
- Shape, Rest, and Bake: Roll each rectangle tightly from the near short end into a log, placing seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the rolls with beaten egg yolk, cover loosely with greased plastic wrap, and let rest at around 75°F for 40 minutes for a final rise. Then brush with beaten egg white and chill uncovered for 30 minutes to set the glaze. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Prick each roll about 15 times deeply with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake rolls for 20 minutes at 350°F, then lower the oven temperature to 330°F, and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes until the rolls develop a deep mahogany color. Allow rolls to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Store the beigli at cool room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
- For longer storage, freeze the rolls for up to 3 months, wrapped well to prevent freezer burn.
- Reheat individual slices gently before serving for best texture and flavor.
- Ensure the rolls are completely cooled before slicing to avoid crumbling or deformation.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Hungarian
Keywords: Hungarian walnut roll, Beigli recipe, holiday dessert, Christmas pastry, walnut filling, traditional Hungarian dessert
