3 effortless Hungarian desserts to bare the summer heat – RECIPES

As temperatures soar and the summer sun beats down, there’s no better way to beat the heat than with a sweet treat. Hungary, known for its rich culinary heritage, offers a delightful array of desserts that are not only delicious but also wonderfully refreshing. From creamy custards to fruity delights, Hungarian desserts are the perfect way to indulge your sweet tooth while staying cool during the sweltering summer months.

The iconic strudel (rétes) for lazy people

Hungarian rétes, also known as strudel, is a beloved pastry with a rich history dating back centuries. This delicate, flaky treat is traditionally filled with sweet or savoury fillings, such as apples, cherries, cheese or cabbage, and is a popular Hungarian dessert. While rétes is undoubtedly delicious, it is notorious for being challenging to make.

The difficulty lies in the thinness and elasticity of the dough, which requires skill and patience to stretch and roll out properly. The dough, made from flour, water and a touch of oil or butter, must be stretched by hand until it is nearly transparent, a process that demands precision and finesse. If the summer heat was not enough to make you sweat, making this sweet delicacy surely will. Why not take a different take on this Hungarian dessert that is equally as tasty but much easier to make?

Ingredients

100g butter
1 can of halved peach
200g flour
200g icing sugar
1 baking powder
450g Hungarian cottage cheese (túró)
4 eggs
0.5 litre milk
1 vanilla sugar

Preparation

Grease a baking pan with half the butter.
Pour off the juice from the peaches and cut them into small pieces.
Mix the flour, icing sugar and baking powder and sprinkle half of the mixture into the buttered pan. Sprinkle over the cottage cheese, then the peach pieces and sprinkle the other half of the sugar and flour mixture over the top.
Beat the eggs with the milk and vanilla sugar with a whisk and pour over the top of the cake, covering the flour mixture completely. Shake the pan slightly. Pipe the remaining butter over the top.
Bake in a 180°C (356°F) oven until golden brown. Serve sprinkled with icing sugar.

The ultimate Hungarian dessert for the summer: Semolina pudding-currant cubes

Semolina pudding, also known as semolina porridge or semolina dessert, is popular in various European countries, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. In Hungary, we often call it “tejbedara” or “tejbegríz”. Now, let’s make something even better out of it! For this recipe, you can swap out the currant with any fruit of your choice.

Ingredients

For the dough:

8 eggs
8 tbsp sugar
8 tbsp flour
1 baking powder
1 baking soda

For the cream:

1l milk
8 tbsp semolina
200 g margarine
200 g icing sugar
500 g currants

Preparation

Separate the eggs, and whisk the yolks with the sugar until frothy. Beat the whites until stiff peaks form. Stir the baking powder and baking soda into the flour. Pour the sugared egg yolks into the stiff whisk and mix gently, then sift the flour mixture into this and mix gently to combine.
Pour the mixture into a 20×36 cm baking pan lined with baking paper, smooth it out evenly and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for about 25 minutes.
While the pastry is baking, prepare the cream. First, cook a traditional semolina pudding without sugar and then leave to cool. Mix the room-temperature margarine with the icing sugar, then pour it into the completely cooled semolina pudding and mix. Add the washed and seeded currant to the cream and mix gently. (You can set a few aside for decoration)
Carefully peel the baking paper off the baked and cooled dough and cut it in half horizontally. Spread the cream evenly on the bottom sheet, then place the other sheet of pastry on top, gently press down a little and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Before serving, cut into equal cubes, sprinkle with icing sugar and garnish with currants.

20-minute cherry sport bar

Sport bar is one of the easiest Hungarian desserts to make. During summertime, you may add a little twist to it by adding some freshly picked fruits.

Ingredients

0.25 cup Dutch cocoa powder
1tsp rum flavouring
1 cup sour cherries
0.5 cup milk
3 cups of ground plain biscuits
120 g butter
0.5 cup sugar
1 bar of dark chocolate
1 tbsp cooking oil

Preparation

In a bowl, measure the cocoa powder, add the rum flavouring, the previously drained sour cherries and the warm milk.
Add the sugar to the melted butter and microwave for half a minute to dissolve.
Add to the cocoa and cherry and mix well. Of course, be careful not to break the cherries. When it’s nice and smooth, add the ground biscuits. You should get a thicker mass.
Pour into a china or glass bowl and smooth it out nicely. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate coating. Break the chocolate into small pieces, add 1 tablespoon of oil and microwave on medium heat for 1 minute or until it melts.
Pour the melted chocolate over the cooled sports gelatine mixture, smoothing it evenly over the top. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or at least until the chocolate has completely set.