Flódni (Hungarian Jewish Layered Pastry)
Also called flodni, fluden, flódni torta
Five layers of short wine-and-butter dough with four fillings between them, poppy seed, apple, walnut and plum.
- Makes
- one 9 × 13 inch (23 × 33 cm) pan
Ingredients
Pan sizes, times and temperatures in the method are not scaled.
Dough
Poppy seed filling
Walnut filling
Apple filling
Plum filling
Method
Dough and fillings
Mix the flour (500 g4¼ cups), powdered sugar (100 g¾ cup + 1 tbsp) and salt, and rub in the cold unsalted butter (250 g1 cup + 2 tbsp) until it looks like coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolks (2) and dry white wine (100 ml7 tbsp) and bring it together without kneading. Divide into 5 equal pieces, flatten, wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
Cook the ground poppy seed (200 g), granulated sugar (100 g½ cup), milk or sweet red wine (150 ml½ cup + 2 tbsp), honey (40 g2 tbsp) and lemon zest over low heat, stirring, until thick, about 5 minutes. Cook the ground walnuts (200 g), granulated sugar (100 g½ cup), milk or sweet white wine (100 ml7 tbsp) and orange zest the same way. Let both cool.
Squeeze the grated tart apples (1 kg) hard in a towel to remove as much juice as possible. Toss with the granulated sugar (60 g5 tbsp) and ground cinnamon (1 tsp).
Layer and bake
Heat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Line a 9 × 13 inch (23 × 33 cm) pan with parchment, leaving an overhang.
Roll each piece of dough between sheets of parchment to the size of the pan. Lay one in the pan, spread the poppy seed filling over it and cover with a second sheet. Spread the apple over it and add a third sheet; then the walnut and a fourth sheet; then the plum butter (250 g1 cup + 2 tbsp) and the last sheet.
Brush the top with the beaten egg and prick it all over with a fork.
Bake 60 to 70 minutes, until deep golden. Cool completely in the pan, then rest overnight before cutting into squares.
Notes
- Distinct layers. Thin, even dough sheets and well-drained apple keep the layers distinct.
- Dairy-free (pareve). Use the wine option in the fillings and replace the butter with a firm plant butter.
- Layer order varies by family.
- Background. It is the signature pastry of Budapest's Jewish community, traditionally made for Purim and Rosh Hashanah, and has become one of the city's best-known pastries in recent years.