Gundel pancakes: A sweet Hungarian tradition reimagined

Hungarian cuisine is often associated with dishes like goulash and lángos but has some delightful sweet offerings. One of the desserts that quickly captured my heart was the delicious Gundel-style pancakes. It's been a long time since I've had better sweet pancakes, so this recipe has become a staple in my home.

The pancakes are named after the Hungarian restaurateur Károly Gundel, who created this recipe in the early 20th century. They quickly became immensely popular and are now a signature dish of Hungarian cuisine. The secret to their appeal lies in the delicious combination of ground walnuts, dried fruits (e.g., raisins, almonds), cream, and rum. The whole dish is topped with hot chocolate, enticingly enveloping the pancakes. Just the thought of it makes my stomach growl.

The first time I saw this dish in one of Budapest's restaurants, I couldn't resist this sweet delight. They are often served as a cake, but single pancake versions are equally popular. A rich filling of ground nuts, raisins, and a sweet chocolate sauce characterises these pancakes. For an impressive presentation, they are often flambéed.

It might seem that we know everything about pancakes, yet these Hungarian ones have not achieved the popularity they deserve in our country. It's time to change that and prepare a sweet feast in your home.

Ingredients:

Filling:

• About 140g of walnuts,
• About 60g of almonds,
• About 100g of raisins,
• 2-3 tablespoons of grated orange zest,
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon,
• Several tablespoons of sugar (to taste),
• Double cream,
• Rum.

Chocolate Sauce:

• About 240ml of milk,
• About 60g of dark chocolate,
• 2 egg yolks,
• 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Additionally:

• pancakes.

Preparation Method:

1. In a blender or coffee grinder, finely grind the walnuts and almonds.
2. Add raisins, grated orange zest, cinnamon, and sugar to the ground nuts. Stir until all ingredients are combined.
3. Gradually add double cream and rum until you achieve a thick yet creamy consistency. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit more cream.
4. Prepare the chocolate sauce. Heat the milk in a saucepan. Add the broken pieces of chocolate and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
5. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar until fluffy.
6. Gradually add the warm chocolate to the beaten yolks, stirring continuously.
7. On each cooked pancake, place a portion of the prepared filling.
8. Roll up the pancakes.
9. Pan-fry the rolled pancakes on a dry skillet until golden.
10. Pour hot chocolate sauce over the ready pancakes.

The delicious Gundel-style pancakes are now ready. Enjoy!