Hungarian Pastries & Desserts

Hungary has one of the richest pastry traditions in Central Europe, rivaling even Vienna and Paris in its dedication to sweet craftsmanship. Budapest's grand coffeehouses, many of them operating since the 19th century, continue to serve desserts that are as much works of art as they are food. From the elaborate layers of a Dobos torte to the rustic warmth of a freshly baked chimney cake, Hungarian sweets reflect the country's history, creativity, and love of celebration.

Dobos Torte: Hungary's Grand Layer Cake

Created in 1885 by Hungarian confectioner Jozsef C. Dobos, this iconic cake consists of five thin layers of sponge cake, layered with chocolate buttercream and topped with a distinctive caramel glaze. Dobos designed the cake to solve a practical problem: in an era before widespread refrigeration, the hard caramel topping helped preserve the cake longer than most other desserts of the time.

The original recipe was a closely guarded secret during Dobos's lifetime. He traveled across Europe showcasing his creation at exhibitions, including the National General Exhibition of Budapest in 1885, where it was first introduced to the public. The cake gained admirers from Budapest to London. After Dobos retired in 1906, he donated the recipe to the Budapest Pastry and Honey-Bread Makers' Guild, making it available to all Hungarian bakers.

Today, the best place to try an authentic Dobos torte is at Budapest's Cafe Gerbeaud, which has served the cake continuously since the late 19th century.

Kurtoskalacs: The Chimney Cake

Kurtoskalacs, literally translated as "stove cake," is one of Hungary's oldest pastries, with origins tracing back to Transylvania (now part of Romania but historically Hungarian). The earliest written recipes date from 1784, though the tradition is believed to be much older.

The preparation is distinctive: a sweet yeast dough is rolled into a thin strip and wound around a wooden or metal cylinder, then coated generously with sugar. The cylinder is rotated slowly over hot coals or in a special oven, causing the sugar to caramelize into a crisp, golden shell while the interior remains soft and slightly chewy. Traditional toppings include ground walnuts, cinnamon, or cocoa powder, applied while the sugar coating is still sticky.

Kurtoskalacs has experienced a revival in recent years, becoming a popular street food not only in Hungary but across Central Europe. You can find it at Christmas markets, summer festivals, and dedicated kurtoskalacs shops in Budapest's tourist districts.

Retes: Hungarian Strudel

While strudel is often associated with Austria, the thin-layered pastry has equally deep roots in Hungarian baking. Hungarian retes uses an extraordinarily thin dough, traditionally stretched by hand over a tablecloth until you can read a newspaper through it. The most classic fillings are:

• Apple (Almas retes): Grated apples with cinnamon, sugar, and fine breadcrumbs to absorb moisture
• Sour cherry (Meggyes retes): A summer favorite using fresh Hungarian sour cherries
• Cottage cheese (Turos retes): Sweetened quark-style fresh cheese with raisins and lemon zest
• Poppy seed (Makos retes): Ground poppy seeds mixed with sugar and a little milk

The best retes is baked until the outer layers are shattering-crisp while the filling remains moist and aromatic. Dusted with powdered sugar and served warm, it is a simple dessert that rewards careful technique.

Somloi Galuska: The National Trifle

Somloi galuska is arguably Hungary's most popular restaurant dessert, created in 1958 by chef Karoly Gollerits at the Gundel restaurant in Budapest. It consists of three types of sponge cake (plain, walnut, and chocolate), layered with vanilla custard, dark chocolate sauce, raisins soaked in rum, and topped with whipped cream.

Despite its relatively modern origin, it has become so beloved that it was voted Hungary's favorite dessert in multiple national surveys. The dish was reportedly created for a culinary competition and won first place, immediately entering the standard repertoire of Hungarian restaurants and confectioneries.

The Wikipedia article on Somloi galuska notes that it was named after the Somlo hill wine region, though the connection to the region is largely symbolic.

Other Hungarian Sweets Worth Discovering

• Beigli: A traditional Christmas and Easter roll filled with walnut or poppy seed paste. Every Hungarian family argues about whose grandmother's recipe is best.
• Pogacsa: Small, round scone-like pastries that can be sweet or savory. The cheese version (sajtos pogacsa) is served at almost every Hungarian gathering.
• Turogomboc: Sweet cottage cheese dumplings coated in buttery breadcrumbs, served as a dessert or light main course.
• Palacsinta: Hungarian crepes, typically filled with sweet cottage cheese, jam, or Nutella and ground walnuts. The Gundel palacsinta version adds a flambeed chocolate-walnut sauce.