Hungary has a sweet tooth and its history has brought a culture of coffee houses and mouth-watering pastry shops. Centuries of baking have produced a collection of perfected specialties that anyone who enjoys a sweet should not miss out on.
There is something to be said for a late afternoon coffee and cake, and this habit is just as much a part of local culture as strolling the parks or crossing the bridges. Coffee first came to Hungary during the time of the Turkish occupation, with coffee houses springing up around the city and the „black soup,” as it was called, was introduced to Hungarians. Vienna’s coffee culture has also played an influence, and today the old coffee houses are a special reminder of the past.
Once the center of intellect and the arts, coffee houses served as a meeting place of great minds in the splendor of the 19th century. Many of Hungary’s greatest poets and thinkers spent their days deep in discussion at the tables of the city’s coffee houses. It was here that certain cakes and pastries got their fame, but no one can deny that Hungarian grandmothers have been producing sweets in their homes for just as long.
There is an abundance of layered cakes, creamy concoctions, flaky pastries and warm sweet breads to be had. They can be enjoyed in coffee houses or in confectioner’s shops dedicated specially to the sweets. These are called cukrászdas and inside you will find the treats at very reasonable prices, to be bought by the piece or by weight. Below you can find a list of some good places to enjoy a sweet treat.
Here we’ve highlighted a few not to miss while in Hungary:
Gerbeaud
This may be the most famous cake here. The cake itself is named after the celebrated confectioner and consists of layers of walnut cake, held together with apricot jam and topped with chocolate icing.
Dobos Torta
Similar to the Gerbeaud, this is a layered cake consisting of thin, dry layers of vanilla cake slathered with chocolate cream and topped with a caramel glazed slice. It is named for one of Hungary’s most prominent confectioners.
Eszterházy Torta
Another famous layered cake, this one is named for Pal Eszterházy of the noble family. It is a light, yet rich cake consisting of layers of walnuts and fluffy cream. A good Eszterházy torta can be divine.
Palacsinta
Often translated as „pancake,” this is a typical dessert much like a French crepe. The Hungarian variety, however, has a slightly thicker dough and is traditionally filled with sweetened cheese curd, sour cherries, or cocoa powder. The Gundel Palacsinta is a special variety served flaming and filled with walnuts and chocolate sauce.
Rétes
A lovely pastry, often referred to as strudel, this is best homemade, but the cukraszdas of Hungary have it down. Typical fillings are sour cherry (meggyes), poppy seeds (mákos) and sweet cheese curd (túró). Flaky pastry surrounds a thick blob of whichever filling and is delicious warm.
Kürtoskolács
Often found at fairs and special events, this is a bread-like pastry that gets wrapped around a rod and roasted over hot coals. It is then rolled in the flavoring of your choice while still hot. Usually you can get it with vanilla sugar, chopped nuts, cinnamon, or cocoa.
Where to find these delectable treats:
Gerbeaud’s
1051 Budapest, Vörösmarty tér 7.
www.gerbeaud.hu
Lúkacs Cukrászda
1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 70.
Tel.: +36.1.302.8747
Ruszwurm Cukrászda
1014 Budapest, Szentháromság u. 7.
Tel.: +36. 1.375.5284
Nándori Cukrászda
1092 Budapest, Ráday u. 53.
Tel.: +36.1.215.8776
www.nandori.hu
Daubner Cukrászda
1025 Budapest, Szépvölgyi ut 50.
Tel.: +36.1.335.2253
And many, many more!!