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Hungarian Sweet Rolls

Erin Glaspy of Camano Island, Wash. sent us this recipe for Hungarian Sweet Rolls—and we made it one of the $1,000 prize winners in our Lost Recipes contest.

WHY THIS RECIPE WON: With a flaky crust and sweet meringue center, these delicate rolls nearly melt in your mouth.

RECIPE HISTORY: Erin credits this family favorite to her grandmother and great-aunt Lois. Erin's grandfather and great-grandfather were Lutheran pastors in Chicago, and this recipe was printed in a church cookbook back in the 1930s.

SECRET INGREDIENT: Walnut meringue spread over pastry dough.

WHAT OUR WINNER SAYS: "To know that my ancestors smelled the same warm scents that fill the house as these rolls bake creates a unique kinship with the past. And I know that someday my future children will taste their great-grandmother's rolls and experience the same euphoria that I did as a child."


STEP BY STEP

Forming Hungarian Sweet Rolls


1. On a work surface sprinkled heavily with confectioners' sugar, roll one piece of dough out into 16-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Spread the filling over the dough.

2. Using a knife, cut the dough into 12 equal wedges.

3. Starting at the wider end of each wedge, gently roll up the dough, ending with the pointed end on the bottom.

Hungarian Sweet Rolls

Makes 24 Rolls


Dough
4 cups all-purpose flour 
1 package  instant or rapid-rise yeast 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
24 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled
3 large egg yolk (save whites for filling)
1 cup sour cream 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Filling
3 large egg white 
1 cup sugar 
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped fine 
Confectioners' sugar , for rolling dough

1. For the dough: Pulse flour, yeast, and salt in food processor until blended. Add butter and pulse until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, ten to fifteen 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into large bowl. (To do this by hand: Use large holes on box grater to grate frozen butter into bowl with flour mixture, then rub flour-coated pieces between your fingers until flour mixture turns pale yellow and coarse.)

2. Beat egg yolks, sour cream, and vanilla in bowl. Using rubber spatula, fold yolk mixture into flour mixture, pressing mixture against sides of bowl to form sticky dough. Divide dough into 2 pieces and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap disks in plastic and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

3. For the filling: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. With electric mixer at medium-low speed, beat egg whites in large bowl until frothy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and gradually add sugar until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add vanilla, increase speed to high, and beat until whites hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Using rubber spatula, fold in walnuts.

4. Heavily sprinkle work surface with confectioners' sugar. Working with one piece of dough at a time, form rolls according to photos. Arrange 12 rolls on each baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake until tops are golden brown and puffed, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating and switching baking sheets halfway through baking time. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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