Zserbó
Zserbó takes its name — in a very Hungarianized spelling — from Emil Gerbeaud, a Swiss-French confectioner who took over Budapest's most celebrated pastry shop in 1884 and built the layered walnut and apricot torte that still bears a version of his name. Unlike the caramel-topped Dobos torte invented by his contemporary, Gerbeaud's creation relies on contrast rather than crunch: tangy apricot jam against sweet ground walnuts, all wrapped in thin, buttery yeasted pastry and finished with a dark chocolate glaze. The Gerbeaud confectionery on Vörösmarty Square is still open today, and Zserbó remains one of the cakes most associated with it, though home bakers across Hungary make their own versions, especially around Christmas. Cut into small diamond-shaped pieces rather than large slices, it is typically served alongside coffee, part of the country's long tradition of elaborate café pastries inherited from the Austro-Hungarian era.
Three thin yeasted layers
A buttery, yeast-leavened dough is divided in three and rolled into thin sheets, giving the cake its signature stack.
Apricot jam between layers
A generous spread of apricot jam links the pastry sheets and adds a tart contrast to the sweet filling.
Sweetened ground walnut filling
Ground walnuts mixed with sugar fill the middle layer, giving the cake its dense, nutty character.
Finished with dark chocolate glaze
A shiny dark chocolate glaze covers the top layer, later cut into neat diamond-shaped pieces.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500g all-purpose flour
- 200g cold butter, cubed
- 25g fresh yeast (or 7g instant dry yeast)
- 150ml lukewarm milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 300g ground walnuts
- 250g sugar
- 300g apricot jam
- 150g dark chocolate, for the glaze
How to make it
- 1Warm the milk slightly, dissolve the fresh yeast and a pinch of sugar into it, and let it stand until foamy.
- 2Rub the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then work in the yeast mixture and egg yolks to form a smooth, elastic dough.
- 3Cover the dough and let it rest in a warm place for about an hour, until visibly puffed.
- 4Divide the dough into three equal pieces and roll each one out to fit a baking tray.
- 5Bake the first sheet until lightly golden, spread it generously with apricot jam, then bake the second sheet and scatter it evenly with the sugared ground walnuts.
- 6Stack the layers — jam sheet, walnut sheet, and the plain third sheet baked separately on top — pressing gently so they hold together.
- 7Melt the dark chocolate and pour it over the top layer while the cake is still warm, then let it set completely before slicing into diamonds.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
