Gundel pancakes: Hungary's sweet secret ready for Canada debut

Hungarian cuisine is often associated with goulashes and langos but boasts sweet delights. One dish that quickly won my heart is the delicious Gundel-style pancakes. It's been a long time since I've tasted better sweet pancakes, so this recipe has become a staple in my cooking.

The pancakes are named after Hungarian restaurateur Károly Gundel, who created this recipe in the early 20th century. They quickly gained immense popularity and became a hallmark of Hungarian cuisine. Their secret lies in the delectable combination of ground walnuts, dried fruits (like raisins and almonds), cream, and rum. The entire dish is topped with hot chocolate, which coats the pancakes enticingly. Just thinking about it makes my stomach growl.

When I first encountered this dish in a Budapest restaurant, I couldn't resist its sweet charm. They can be served as a cake, but single pancake versions are equally popular. They feature a rich filling of ground nuts, raisins, and a sweet chocolate sauce. For an impressive presentation, they are often flambéed.

It might seem like we know everything there is to know about pancakes, yet these Hungarian ones haven't gained the popularity they deserve here in Canada. It's time to change that and prepare a sweet feast at home.

Ingredients:

Filling:

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

Chocolate Sauce:

• About 250 mL of milk,
• About 60 g 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 heavy 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 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 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 prepared pancakes.

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