Somlói galuska
Photo: Illustratedjc · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Somlói galuska was invented by Károly Gollerits at the Gundel kitchen in the 1950s and named for Somló, a Hungarian wine region. The dish became a Hungarian restaurant staple in the 1960s and is now on most refined Hungarian dessert menus. It is traditionally assembled cold from three differently-flavoured sponges scooped into a glass.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Tree nuts

Make it at home

Yield 6Hands-on 1 hrTotal 4 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • For 3 sponges: 6 eggs
  • 180g sugar
  • 180g plain flour
  • divided into 3 batches (one plain, one with 2 tablespoons cocoa, one with 1 tablespoon ground walnuts and lemon zest)
  • For the rum syrup: 200g caster sugar, 300ml water, 4 tablespoons dark rum, 1 vanilla pod
  • For the chocolate sauce: 200g dark chocolate, 200ml double cream, 30g butter
  • 100g raisins soaked in 50ml rum
  • 100g walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 400ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks
  • Cocoa powder to dust

Method

  1. Bake three thin sponges separately: whisk 2 eggs with 60g sugar to ribbons, fold in 60g flour (plus cocoa or walnut for the two flavoured layers). Spread thinly in a 20cm tin and bake 8 minutes at 190C. Repeat for the other two layers.
  2. Combine sugar, water and vanilla in a pan, bring to a simmer for 5 minutes until syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in the rum. Cool.
  3. For the chocolate sauce: warm the cream, pour over chopped chocolate, stir until smooth, stir in butter. Cool.
  4. Break the cooled sponges into rough chunks.
  5. In a large glass bowl, layer: a third of the plain sponge, a brush of rum syrup, a scatter of raisins and walnuts, a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Repeat with cocoa sponge, then walnut sponge.
  6. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
  7. Scoop portions with a spoon into wide glasses (the 'galuska' shape). Top with whipped cream, a final drizzle of chocolate sauce and a dust of cocoa.

Tip from the editors. The dessert is meant to be soaked and soft, not dry. Be generous with the rum syrup, and rest at least 3 hours; overnight is better.

Where to eat somlói galuska

Somlói galuska in Budapest

Hungarikum Bisztró ★ 4.5

$$ Traditional HungarianLipotvaros

Hungarikum Bisztro on Steindl Imre near Parliament cooks the canonical Hungarian classics, with goulash, chicken paprikash and stuffed cabbage in a tiny.

OrderThe chicken paprikash with house nokedli and cucumber salad.

TipOnline reservation only; the small room books out for both lunch and dinner.

Menza Étterem ★ 4.0

$$ Modern HungarianTerezvarosUntil Daily 23:00

Menza on Liszt Ferenc ter cooks Hungarian classics until 22:30, a late dinner room off Andrassy near the Liszt Ferenc tér terraces in central Budapest.

OrderThe Hortobágyi palacsinta with a glass of Hungarian dry Furmint.

TipOpen 11:00-23:00 daily; the kitchen runs 11:30-22:30, terrace fills first.

Centrál Kávéház ★ 4.8

$ CaféLipotvarosWork-friendlyWifi

The Central Kavehaz on Karolyi utca has poured coffee since 1887 and was the regular meeting room for the Nyugat literary set in the early 20th century.

OrderA filter coffee with the Esterhazy slice and a Sacher torte.

DrinkFilter coffee with a slice of Esterházy

TipQuieter than New York Cafe for working; the upstairs reading room is the calmest seat.

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