Beigli: Hungarian poppy seed and walnut Christmas rolls with a crackled crust

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Make the dough

   15 min

   Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk with a teaspoon of sugar and let stand for 5 minutes. Mix the flour with the remaining sugar and salt, add the cold butter cut into cubes, and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the egg and the yeast mixture, then knead into a smooth, fairly firm dough.

2. Cook the fillings while the dough rests

   1 hr

   Divide the dough into two portions, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour. Meanwhile, bring 150 ml milk and 150 g sugar to a boil. Stir in the poppy seeds, raisins, and lemon zest, cook for 2 minutes, and let cool. Make the walnut filling the same way, using the walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon. The fillings will thicken as they cool.

3. Shape the rolls

   20 min

   Roll each portion of dough on a floured work surface into a rectangle about 30 × 25 cm. Spread one with the poppy seed filling and the other with the walnut filling, leaving a 1.5 cm border. Fold the short sides inward, roll up tightly, and place seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

4. Apply the egg wash in two stages

   50 min

   Brush the rolls with beaten egg yolk and refrigerate for 20 minutes to let the coating dry. Then brush with beaten egg white and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Before baking, pierce each roll in 6 places with a skewer so steam can escape and the filling does not crack.

5. Bake the beigli

   35 min

   Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for 30–35 minutes, until golden brown with a crackled, marbled crust. Let cool on the baking sheet and slice only when completely cool.

Tip: Wrapped in plastic wrap, beigli will keep in a cool place for a week and slice best the next day. If the filling cracks, let it cool more thoroughly before rolling next time. Read more: Frozen lemons: why to freeze them and use the peel

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Voňavé bejgli s makom aj orechmi: maďarský vianočný závin s popraskanou mramorovou kôrkou