The Flódni is a traditional Jewish cake and was/is indeed the popular Chanuka cake which could not be missing orginally of Eastern-European Jewish families.
Now-a-days you can only taste it in Hungary, mainly @ Budapest’s well known confectionery.
In Hungary the Jewish community preserved the Flódni tradition. Indeed became very popular to the wider audience in Hungary and beside the Jewish community has come to symbolize the diversity of Hungarian society.
The cake has five layers of dough and four distinct fillings from down up to the top: poppy seed, apple, walnut, plum jam. The cake is reminiscent of old-world richness. It is time consuming … prepared at home, need cca 2 hours free time being in the kitchen, but will see was worthwhile to serve this superb mouthwatering yummy cake any time of the day.
To be served for 4 persons – Preparing time: one-and-a- half – 2 hours.
Ingredients: For the Dough: 8 tbs butter, sliced into 16 pieces and room temperature, 4 cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp baking powder,5 large yolks, ¾–1 cup white wine. For the Plum Filling: 2½ cups plum jam (in Hungarian: szilva lekvár) or apricot can be also as filling. For the Poppy Seed Filling: 2 cups poppy seed, ground in a coffee grinder, 4 tbs orange marmalade or apricot jam (add 2 tsp orange zest if using apricot jam), ¾ cup red wine, Pinch of ground cloves, ½ cup sugar. For the Walnut Filling: 8 ounces walnut pieces, finely chopped, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup red wine, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 tbs orange marmalade or 1 tsp orange zest, 1 tbs cocoa powder. For the Apple Filling: 8 small apples, cored, peeled and grated (you can use a food processor to grate) (about 4 cups, packed), 1/3 cup orange marmalade, 1½ tsp cinnamon, ⅛ tsp ground cloves (optional), ¾ tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbs sugar, Pinch of salt. To Assemble: 2 tbs butter, melted, 1 egg beaten.
Preparation: The ingredients of the dough, with the exception of water, are combined with a robot. Add the water little by little and knead. Divide into 5 equal parts, stretch to a baking sheet size, and place everything on baking paper, then pack on top of each other and place in the refrigerator overnight.
To cook poppy seed heat the ingredients on the stove for about 2-3 mins, until you notice bubbles. This mixture also has to go into the fridge for a night. To cook apple: Steam the apples in a medium saucepan together with the honey, the sugar, the white wine, the cloves and the cinnamon. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Cook, stirring, about 12 mins, until soft and the liquid has evaporated. It is important not to overcook it. To cook walnut: Place in a small pot, combine all ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring, for about 5 mins, until thickened and liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool.
Each filling must be cooled down before laying the dough. Place the first baking sheet lined with parchment paper, smear with the poppy seed, put on the next sheet apple filling, on the third dough base wallnut filling and then another dough and smear a little finger thick with plum jam, finally cover with the last dough base. After last piece of pastry, brush it with the mixture of egg yolk and milk and place it in the fridge for about 10 mins.
Preheat the oven to 200C degree and cook the cake for 10 mins, then reduce the heat to 175 C degree and cook for another extra 50 mins. Leave the cake for at least an hour outside of the oven. Allow the Flódi to cool overnight.
If you want a really special delicacy, you have to try this baking … Be a Flódni Fairy … worth it!
© by Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 