Hungarian Trifle – Somlói Galuska

I have a long “wish to make” list of various cakes and pastries and over time it has been only expanding. The world is a big place and there is always some new and inspiring recipe to make.  It is a constant and healthy contest between recipes from my favorite book “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” and wide array of recipes from Balkans, France, Italy and elsewhere.

The Hungarian Trifle is a recipe that caught my eye few years ago, but for various reasons got bumped off whenever I got close to making it. Well the day has come and I am pleased to say I made it yesterday! The recipe has been adapted from the “Kaffehaus” book.

Somlói Galuska or Hungarian Trifle is a cake made of three different flavored sponge layers, pastry cream, raisins, walnuts and rum syrup. The traditional presentation is to use a large ice cream scoop and make three balls that are garnished with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. It is a rich cake that will definitely satisfy your apatite for sweet indulgence!

The history says that the cake recipe was first devised by Károly Gollerits who was maitre d’hotel in Gundel, Budapest’s iconic restaurant, and the cake was first made by restaurant’s pastry chef; József Béla Szőcs. The cake was presented at the World’s Fair in 1958 ,with a great success, where it won prestigious professional award.

This is a rewarding recipe for a truly unique and special cake. However, I must say; it is time consuming and some might find it even complicated. There will be piles of dirty dishes left behind! On the bright side if you are up to the task and simply follow the step by step instructions provided below I assure you the result will be a piece of heaven that you will be proud of!

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Hungarian Trifle - Somlói Galuska

Hungarian Trifle

Course

Bake, Dessert

Cuisine

Hungarian

Keyword

Hungarian Trifle, Somlói Galuska

Prep Time

2 hours

Cook Time

1 1/4 hour

Servings

servings

Ingredients

Plain Layer

• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose non bleached flour sifted
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

Walnut Layer

• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup ground walnuts
• 1/3 cup all purpose non bleached flour
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

Cocoa Layer

• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup all purpose non bleached flour
• 1 tbsp all purpose non bleached flour
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

Rum Syrup

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup filtered water
• 1 3" long strip organic orange zest cut with a vegetable peeler
• 1 3" long strip organic lemon zest cut with a vegetable peeler
• 1/3 cup golden Rum

Pastry Cream

• 4 cups organic milk divided
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Assembly

• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder for garnish

Sweetened Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream 35% MF chilled
• 2 tbsp confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Rum Chocolate Sauce

• 230 ml filtered water
• 180 g high quality bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 30 ml golden Rum

Course Bake, Dessert Cuisine Hungarian Keyword Hungarian Trifle, Somlói Galuska Prep Time 2 hours Cook Time 1 1/4 hour Servings servings Ingredients Plain Layer 3 large eggs at room temperature 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup all purpose non bleached flour sifted 1 pinch fine sea salt Walnut Layer 3 large eggs at room temperature 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup ground walnuts 1/3 cup all purpose non bleached flour 1 pinch fine sea salt Cocoa Layer 3 large eggs at room temperature 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1/3 cup all purpose non bleached flour 1 tbsp all purpose non bleached flour 1 pinch fine sea salt Rum Syrup 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup filtered water 1 3" long strip organic orange zest cut with a vegetable peeler 1 3" long strip organic lemon zest cut with a vegetable peeler 1/3 cup golden Rum Pastry Cream 4 cups organic milk divided 1/3 cup cornstarch 6 large egg yolks 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract Assembly 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 1/3 cup apricot preserves 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder for garnish Sweetened Whipped Cream 1 cup heavy cream 35% MF chilled 2 tbsp confectioner's sugar 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract Rum Chocolate Sauce 230 ml filtered water 180 g high quality bittersweet chocolate finely chopped 3/4 cup granulated sugar 30 ml golden Rum

Instructions

Plain Layer

1. Prewarm the oven to 177ºC(350ºF), rack in the middle.
2. Cut 3 rectangular pieces of 13"x 9" parchment paper.
3. Lightly butter 13"x 9" baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
4. Make double boiler of medium size saucepan and fitting stainless steel mixing bowl. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Over medium heat bring the water to simmer in the saucepan. Whisk constantly sugar and egg yolks in the bowl placed over the saucepan and bring the mixture temperature to lukewarm or about 30ºC (86ºF).
5. Beat egg mixture with hand held electric mixer at high speed until mixture triples by volume, about 3-5 minutes.
6. In two additions sift combined flour and salt to the egg mixture and fold it in with silicone spatula.
7. Transfer the mixture to the baking pan and spread evenly with an offset metal spatula. Make sure the corners are filled.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed in the middle, with tips of the fingers.
9. Cool for 3 minutes and then run knife around the edge to release the cake.
10. Invert the baking pan on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently and carefully peel off the top paper. Let it cool completely.
11. Let the baking pan cool off for 15-20 minutes before buttering and lining with parchment paper, in preparation to bake the second layer.

Walnut Layer

1. Lightly butter baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a small mixing bowl whisk together ground walnuts, flour and salt.
3. Follow the same process for to warm up and beat egg and sugar mixture as for the plain layer.
4. In two additions add ground walnut mixture to the beaten eggs and fold it in with silicone spatula.

   
5. Transfer the mixture to the baking pan and spread evenly with an offset metal spatula. Make sure the corners are filled.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed in the middle, with tips of the fingers.
7. Cool for 3 minutes and then run knife around the edge to release the cake.
8. Invert the baking pan on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently and carefully peel off the top paper. Let it cool completely.
9. Let the baking pan cool off for 15-20 minutes before buttering and lining with parchment paper, in preparation to bake the third layer.

Cocoa Layer

1. Lightly butter baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a small mixing bowl sift and mix together cocoa, flour and salt.
3. Follow the same process for to warm up and beat egg and sugar mixture as for previous two layers.
4. In two additions add cocoa mixture to the beaten eggs and fold it in with silicone spatula.
5. Transfer the mixture to the baking pan and spread evenly with an offset metal spatula. Make sure the corners are filled.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed in the middle, with tips of the fingers.
7. Cool for 3 minutes and then run knife around the edge to release the cake.
8. Invert the baking pan on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently and carefully peel off the top paper. Let it cool completely.

Rum Syrup

1. In a small saucepan stir together sugar, water, orange zest strip and lemon zest strip. Stir over medium heat until boiling. Let boil for 5 minutes, without stirring. Take off heat and let cool completely.

   
2. Remove orange and lemon zest, stir in the rum.

Pastry Cream

1. In a medium size saucepan add 3 cups of milk and bring to simmer over medium heat.
2. Add 1 cup of milk to another medium size heavy bottom saucepan. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the cold milk, whisk until dissolved. Whisk in the sugar and egg yolks.
3. Place the sauce pan with cold yolk mixture over medium heat.
4. Whisking constantly gradually add in the hot milk.
5. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture comes to full boil, whisk continuously. This will take about 15-20 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
7. Transfer the hot mixture to a medium size mixing bowl. Set this bowl into a larger bowl filled with the cold water and ice.
8. Stir frequently and let the pastry cream cool to room temperature.

Assembly

1. In a small mixing bowl mix together raisins and walnuts.
2. In a small saucepan bring apricot preserves to boil, stir frequently. Take it off the heat, but keep it warm.
3. Clean, dry and use the same 13"x 9" baking pan for the cake assembly.
4. Place the walnut layer on the bottom of the pan.

   
5. Measure and brush the walnut layer with 1/3 of Rum Syrup.
6. Spread evenly warm apricot preserves covering the whole layer.
7. Measure and spread evenly 1/3 of pastry cream, use an offset spatula to level off.
8. Sprinkle with 1/2 of walnut/raisin mixture across the whole layer.

   
9. Carefully install the second layer or Cocoa Layer.
10. Measure and brush the cocoa layer with 1/2 of the remaining Rum Syrup.

    
11. Measure and spread evenly 1/2 of the remaining pastry cream, use an offset spatula to level off.

    
12. Sprinkle with remaining walnut/raisin mixture across the whole layer.
13. Carefully install the third layer or Plain Layer.

    
14. Brush the plain layer with the remaining Rum Syrup.
15. Spread evenly the remaining pastry cream, use an offset spatula to level off.
16. Sift cocoa over the top.
17. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

1. Add chilled cream, confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract to a chilled medium size mixing bowl. Using a hand held electrical mixer beat to stiff peaks.

Rum Chocolate Sauce

1. In a medium size heavy bottomed saucepan stir together sugar, water, rum and chocolate. Bring to boil over medium heat, whisk constantly. Let it cool off. Note: Chocolate sauce is kept refrigerated. Warm up, just until heated thru (not boiled!).

Serving

1. Use 2" ice cream scoop or large dessert spoon to scoop 2-3 dumplings from the assembled cake. The dumplings should be arranged in a bowl or on a plate.

   
2. Use a pastry bag and 9/16" open star tip to pipe rosettes on the top.
3. Drizzle with rum chocolate sauce and serve chilled.

   

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