Hungarian Nut Rolls

Our most treasured family heirlooms are our sweet family memories.
                                                                                         ~Unknown


We all have traditions that are passed down from year to year and generation to generation, especially during the Christmas season.  In my family growing up, my mother always made Hungarian Nut Rolls and Hungarian Kiflis.  Having Christmas without at least one of these pastries is like something is just missing.  I got the Hungarian Kiflis down pat and would make them in batches every year to give away as gifts.  But not so with the nut rolls.  The first two times I tried making them, they flopped, big time!  I never made them again until my mother was around and I could learn and watch from her.  Then my sister started a bakery where she made international pastries.  She perfected the nut roll to where it turned out perfect time and time again...

Her nut rolls (or Kalacs, which they're called in Hungarian), was a very secret recipe.  But my sister got quite sick and died about 14 years ago, shortly after she got her bakery up and running.  So my gift to you is her special recipe.  I may have scared you from telling you how mine flopped, but I'm giving you her recipe, along with good photos.  So please feel brave and make a go of it.  There's one little catch...because she had a bakery, she said most recipes were by weight, vs measuring cups.  Because they turn out perfect every time, I'm giving you her recipe as is, so you will need a kitchen scale to make this...

There's a lot here, so I'm going to break this into two days.  I'm giving you the recipe today, along with instructions on making the nut filling.  Tomorrow I'll demonstrate with photos how to do everything and what it should look like.

HUNGARIAN NUT ROLLS  (Kalacs)
1 cup milk
2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon peel
1/4 cup sugar
19 oz. flour
7 oz. butter
3 1/2 oz egg yolks

Put 1 cup milk in a bowl, microwave for 1 minutes, 15 seconds.  Check the temperature.  It should be about 105 degrees.  Add the 2 packages of yeast and the 1/4 cup of sugar.  Let rise in the microwave.  While it's rising, grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with Crisco.  Combine 1 tablespoon lemon peel and 1/4 cup sugar.  Mix well and add to the flour.  Add the butter to the flour and mix well using your hands.  Add egg yolks and yeast (which should have risen) to the flour mixture.  Using hands, mix well and knead slightly on a floured board or marble slab.  Divide dough into 3 equal balls (about 14 oz. each).  Roll each ball into a 10 x 12 inch rectangle.  Spread the filling onto the dough (use 1/2 the amount of filling as ball weighs (a 14 oz ball to 7 oz filling).  Spread to edges.  Roll from top to bottom and place in the greased pan.  Rise 2 hours.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Brush with a beaten egg before baking.  After baking, remove from oven and cover with a damp towel until it's cooled.

NUT FILLING

15 oz. walnuts, finely ground
3/4 cup sugar
4 egg whites, beaten
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Make the nut filling and have it ready to go by the time you make the dough.  I've even made it the day ahead. 

• I put the sugar and the nuts into my Cuisinart food processor and grind everything until it's very fine...

• Beat the egg whites until they are somewhat on the stiff side...

• Mix the egg whites and nut mixture together, adding in the lemon juice and set aside until ready to spread...

Before starting, grease the 9 x 13 baking pan, using Crisco or something similar...

I usually grate the lemon first and then will cut it to use for the lemon juice for the nut filling recipe...

Don't grate too far into the white portion (or pith) of the lemon...

Measure out the 1 tablespoon that you'll need for the dough and put aside until you're ready for it.  Then go ahead and cut the lemon to get the juice.

I'll show you how to make this wonderful Hungarian Nut Roll tomorrow.