Beigli - Hungarian Christmas Cake

Heat a little 200ml of milk (be careful not to be hot!) And mix it with yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Pour this mixture over the flour in the bowl and leave for 10-15 minutes until it starts to foam.

Add the soft butter, 2 eggs, 9 tablespoons of sugar and start kneading the dough - at first I recommend making it on a larger spatula / spoon until the flour is incorporated.

Then take it out on the table sprinkled with flour and knead it for about 3-5 minutes to even out the texture, if necessary add flour.

If you feel like kneading in the bowl that the flour is too much, add a little more milk.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and let it rest for 10 minutes.

During this time we prepare the fillings:

- grind the poppy seeds well - I make it in the coffee grinder - and mix with 5 tablespoons of sugar, half a glass of milk (125ml) - until it becomes a thick and moist composition, but not to flow.

- ground walnut (in a rolling pin or meat grinder) mix with 5 tablespoons of sugar and half a glass of milk (125ml). Stir and if necessary add milk until you have a dense and moist filling, but no liquid to flow!

Spread a rectangular sheet of each ball of dough, 1/3 of the sheet leave it a little thicker - this helps not to crack the cakes when baking. They cracked on me anyway, so I don't necessarily insist.

Each filling is for 2 sheets of dough, so put half of the amount.

Spread well on the entire surface of the sheet and press lightly with a spoon.

Roll tight.

Do the same for the rest of the dough - you will get 4 rolls that you arrange in the stove tray, greased with a little oil or spread with baking paper.

Grease the rolls with a beaten egg and let it rest for 20-30 minutes, during this time heat the oven to 200 degrees.

Bake for 10 minutes at 200 degrees, then reduce to 180 and leave for another 30 minutes - or until nicely browned. After baking, let it cool completely.

I made Baigli a few times, different recipes and they all cracked when baked - so I resigned myself, if you have any trick not to crack the rolls, please tell me too :)

Slice and enjoy - they are absolutely delicious!

Good appetite!