ReceptnaptárPalugyay Cake (Classic Chestnut Cake)
The Palugyay cake is the famous chestnut cake of old Hungarian pastry-making: thin chestnut egg-foam layers with whipped cream between them and chocolate on top. It is light yet festive, because the chestnut gives depth of flavour. With ready-made chestnut purée you do not have to boil and sieve chestnuts, so the cake is ready much faster.
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Ingredients
Method
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- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the base of a 22-24 cm cake tin with baking paper (the cake is made from 5 thin layers baked one after another, or all at once if you have several tins).
- Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla sugar with a mixer for 5 minutes until fluffy. First mix the chestnut purée smooth with 3-4 tablespoons of the mixture, then add it to the rest together with the grated chocolate.
- Whisk the egg whites with the pinch of salt until stiff and fold them gently into the chestnut mixture in three batches.
- Divide the batter into 5 equal parts and smooth them into the tin one by one. Bake the layers at 180°C for 10-12 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out dry. Cool on a rack.
- Whip the cream with the vanilla sugar until stiff. Stack the layers, spreading a thin layer of whipped cream between each.
- Melt the chocolate with the butter and coat the top of the cake with it. Chill for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight, so the flavours meld and the cake is easier to slice.
Based on: Malatinszky Fanny szakácskönyve (a classic Hungarian cookbook), modernised. Calories and protein are estimated.
Tips
- Spread the layers thinly and watch them, because they bake quickly and dry out easily.
- Fold in the egg whites gently, because this keeps the cake light.
- Let the cake rest in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours (better overnight); this makes it sliceable.
- On top of the chocolate you can place a few candied chestnuts or grated chocolate as decoration.
- If you do not have 5 tins, bake in a single tin one after another and keep the batter in a cool place meanwhile.
Frequently asked questions
What is the history of the Palugyay cake?
It is the classic chestnut cake of Hungarian pastry-making, named after the Palugyay family; the recipe has whisked chestnut layers with whipped cream between them.
Can it be made with less sugar?
Yes, it also works with 180 g of sugar, but the layers will be less soft.
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More hungarian ideas
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- Chestnut purée with whipped cream
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- English lemon whip (vipsz)
- Sugar-glazed chestnuts (croque en bouche)
- Hazelnut cream
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