BEIGLI

Beigel (pl. beigli) is the Hungarian version of the poppy seed roll that is baked around these days wherever there are people of Slavic and German origin. Its name is probably derived from 'beugen', which means 'to bend', as beigel was originally formed like a horse-shoe. Even though German holiday breads were introduced to Austro-Hungarian lands during the second half of the nineteenth century, the stuffed 'horse-shoe' was already popular in Bratislava as early as 1559. Versions of the Jewish challah that was baked in some parts of Europe also contained poppy seeds. In recent times, Hungarian consumers were introduced to beigli with extravagant fillings, such as chestnut purée, but traditionalists will only eat the poppy seed roll or the nut roll, which is usually filled with ground walnuts.

 

 

Bratislava in the 16th century

 

Other European cuisines are less fond of poppy seed but this wasn't always the case. Ever since poppies grew in the fields, their seeds were added to otherwise plain foods increasing their nutritional value. They were also used in order to relieve the symptoms of insomnia and even to calm down babies. Poppies were offered by ancient Greeks and Romans to the dead. Female statues of a  goddess worshipped by the Minoans, the Proto-Greek inhabitants of Crete, as well as Demeter, the Greek deity of agriculture, held flowers that were identified as poppies. For early Slavic tribes, poppies were just as important and their seeds eventually connected to good luck and prosperity. The same was true for nuts. 

For more than 200 years, the poppy seed roll under its different names has been a favorite holiday treat not just in the Slavic world but also in Hungary and the Baltic lands although there are slight variations from country to country, region to region, and family to family. One difference is the pastry-to-filling ratio. In Germany, bakers let the dough rise well so it yields thick layers of pastry that are spread with large amounts of filling. In Hungary and Poland, they make the layers thin and bake the dough immediately -ending up with rolls that look like a strudel. An unusual makowiec from Lubartów in southern Poland, however, consists mainly of filling. The baking also requires great skill. Perfect Hungarian beigel is crackled on the surface like the back of a giraffe, resulting from the expansion of the dough in the oven. This is not very easy to regulate but it's not the end of the world if you fail (experienced bakers sometimes do), as long as the filling stays in place and the crumb is not dried.

 

ejgli is often referred to in English as “walnut roll” or “poppy seed roll” and it is considered to be a typical Hungarian pastry in the Christmas period. Its traces can be found in folk traditions as well, where both fillings had their different symbolic meaning: walnut provided protection against hexes, while poppy seeds — which were imported from Eurasia through the Ottomans — meant prosperity.

Read more at: https://dailynewshungary.com/bejgli-the-traditional-hungarian-christmas-cake/

Its traces can be found in folk traditions as well, where both fillings had their different symbolic meaning: walnut provided protection against hexes, while poppy seeds — which were imported from Eurasia through the Ottomans — meant prosperity.

Read more at: https://dailynewshungary.com/bejgli-the-traditional-hungarian-christmas-cake/

 

BEIGLI

This version is adapted from Culinaria Hungary by Anikó Gergely. In the original recipe, the dough is made with half butter half lard, the type of flour is not specified, there is a sponge starter made with fresh yeast, and the ingredients are mixed in a different order. The fillings in this version are made as described in the book although walnuts are not specifically mentioned and there is a wider choice of sweeteners for the nut filling (apricot jam, grated apples, honey).

 

I n g r e d i e n t s

for the dough:

120ml milk

100g butter

100g shortening

50g confectioner's sugar

2 eggs

500g bread flour

1 sachet dry yeast

pinch of salt

1tsp grated lemon zest

1tsp vanilla sugar

 

for the walnut filling:

100ml milk

4tbsp honey

250g walnuts

100g confectioner's sugar

1tsp grated lemon zest

1tsp vanilla sugar

pinch of cinnamon

3tbsp raisins

 

for the poppy seed filling:

100ml milk

4tbsp honey

250g confectioner's sugar

250g ground poppy seeds

1tsp grated lemon zest

1tsp vanilla sugar

3tbsp raisins

 

M e t h o d

1. Sift the flour with the yeast, salt, grated lemon zest, and vanilla sugar in a bowl. 2. Heat the milk, sugar and butter until lukewarm. Add the eggs, lightly beaten, saving a little yolk. 3. Combine the mixtures and leave in the bowl for 15-30 minutes. 4. Knead on a floured surface until the dough is glossy. Shape into a ball, cover with a towel and leave to rise. (The original recipe says 30 minutes but I waited until it was doubled in bulk -about 1,5 hour.) In the mean time, prepare the fillings by mixing the ingredients well. 5. Knock back the dough, cut into four pieces, roll each of them separately, and fill. 6. Transfer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush with egg yolk. 7. Bake in a preheated oven, at medium temperature, until golden in colour. 8. Leave in the oven to cool and slice just before eating.

 

N o t e 

Beigli are dusted with confectioner's sugar.