Gerbaud cake, the famous Hungarian dessert
The traditional Hungarian dessert
The Gerbaud cake, or “Zserbó” in Hungarian, is a well-known and popular Hungarian dessert. Apricot jam and ground walnuts are sandwiched between sheets of crumbly dough, and a layer of chocolate covers the top. Favorite holiday sweets (Easter and Christmas). Its origin is debatable. According to legend, the cake was invented by Swiss pastry chef Émile Gerbeaud. Some sources believe that the cake was one of the cakes that established Gerbeaud’s reputation, while others believe that it was presented during the First World War. This is in conflict with the fact that the cake is nowhere to be found in the company’s price lists until 1945, that it only shows up in cookbooks from the 1950s, and that it wasn’t until 1948 that it started to gain popularity in the patisserie. Another theory holds that the Gerbaud cake was developed in honor of the 1958 Brussels World’s Exhibition.
The history of the cake's namesake
The origins of this cake can be traced back to a gentleman named Émile Gerbeaud. He was born on February 22, 1854 in Carouge, Switzerland, which has since merged with the capital, Geneva. His father, Simon Jean François Gerbeaud, was a French confectioner, so he grew up immersed in the world of cakes. It’s no surprise that, true to family tradition, life drew him to this field as well. He began working in his father’s business in 1871. Later, as a result of his marriage, he gained additional experience in several large pastry shops in England, Germany, and France before opening his first shop in Saint-Étienne.
Émile Gerbaud and the Gerbeaud confectionery in Budapest (Source: https://pestbuda.hu/)
The Gerbeaud Café's History
In 1884, Émile moved to Hungary and began working in Henrik Kugler’s pastry shop in Budapest. Kugler’s patisserie quickly rose to the top of Budapest’s patisserie shops thanks to its high-quality cakes, bonbons, and coffee specialties. However, the owner was unable to continue with the job and was looking for a replacement. In Paris, he met Emil Gerbeaud for the first time. After they met, she realized he was the man she had been looking for. In 1884, the year of his arrival in Budapest, Gerbeaud took over the management of the business, which was then run under both of their names.
Chocolate and Gerbaud
In addition to the pastry shop and coffee house, Gerbeaud established a chocolate factory in 1886. During his travels, Gerbeaud also presented his newly developed chocolate production methods in other countries, and by 1896, he had achieved international acclaim due to his vast knowledge. Nothing could demonstrate his esteem more than being invited to Paris as a member of the jury for the World Exhibition held in 1900, where the French awarded his work the Order of Honor. Gerbeaud died in 1919, but the prestigious company did not lose its quality in the decades that followed, and the Gerbeaud confectionery continues to thrive today.
Tips for the preparation of Gerbaud cake
– The filling is the key to a successful Gerbaud cake; it needs to be generously filled. Additionally, homemade jam is unmatched
– Since our grandmothers were not familiar with baking powder, we can be certain that the yeast version is the original
– Use lard in place of margarine and butter to make authentic crumbly dough
In the center of Budapest, at the Gerbeaud Confectionery, you can sample the original Gerbaud cake.
Ingredients:
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 250 g lard or butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 100 ml milk
- 20 g fresh yeast
- 300 g ground walnuts
- 200 g powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp vanilla sugar
- a lemon
- 400 g apricot jam
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 50 g butter
- salt
Steps:
- Mix the lukewarm milk with yeast and 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Leave to rise for 10 minutes.
- Mix the sifted flour with lard (or butter), the egg yolks, a pinch of salt and the activated milk yeast. Knead into a homogeneous and smooth dough, cover and let rest for 1 hour.
- In the meantime, prepare the walnut filling: Mix the ground walnuts with the powdered sugar, vanilla sugar and the grated zest of one lemon.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal balls and roll them out to a size of approx. 25×20 cm (10×8″).
- Place the first dough on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spread with half of the apricot jam. Sprinkle with half of the walnut mixture and put the next dough. Flatten a little. Spread the rest of the jam and let walnut filling on top again. Cover with the last rolled-out sheet of dough and flatten again very lightly. Prick the top with a fork in several places and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 40 minutes. Leave to cool for 5 minutes. Turn the baking tray onto a board and remove the parchment paper. Let cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate with butter over steam and spread evenly on top of the cake. Rest your Gerbaud cake in a cool place for 3 hours. Slice and enjoy!
Watch our video about this Hungarian dessert recipe: