Pressburg walnut horseshoe

Name: Pressburg walnut horseshoe
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 2 horseshoes / about 16 slices
Cuisine: Hungarian
Ingredients: 280 g plain flour; 150 g butter; 1 tbsp icing sugar; pinch of salt; 2 egg yolks; 12-13 g fresh yeast (or 1 tsp dried yeast); 4 tbsp lukewarm milk; 200 g sugar (for the filling); 20 g finely chopped candied lemon peel (citronát); 80 g raisins; 2-3 tbsp vanilla sugar; 200 g ground walnuts (or poppy seeds); 10 g butter (for the filling); a little breadcrumb, if needed

Time: 2 hr 30 min (about 40 min hands-on)2 horseshoes / about 16 slicesapprox. 300 kcal / serving (estimated)approx. 4 g protein / serving

Pozsonyi patkó, the Pressburg horseshoe, is a famous pastry of old Hungary, named after Pozsony, today's Bratislava. A buttery, lightly yeasted dough encloses a walnut or poppy seed filling made with sugar syrup and raisins. The syrupy filling keeps the slices moist for a long time, so many families bake them well ahead of Christmas, and they only improve in the tin.

Pressburg walnut horseshoe (illustration)

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Method

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Rub the flour and butter together on a work surface, and make a well in the centre.
Into the well, put the icing sugar, salt, egg yolks and the yeast proofed in lukewarm milk.
Knead thoroughly on a board into a smooth dough, slightly firmer than strudel dough.
Divide the dough into two equal balls, cover, and leave to rise in a warm place for about 40-50 minutes.
Meanwhile make the filling: gently melt the sugar in a saucepan and cook to a thick syrup, then add the candied lemon peel, raisins, vanilla sugar, ground walnuts (or poppy seeds) and butter. If the mixture is too soft, thicken with a little breadcrumb or more walnuts.
Roll the risen dough balls out on a floured surface into long rectangles, about 3-4 mm thick.
Spread the filling evenly over the dough, roll up, then shape into a horseshoe and place on a parchment-lined tray.
Bake in a 180°C preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.
Let cool, slice, and serve.

Based on: Malatinszky Fanny szakácskönyve (a classic Hungarian cookbook), modernised. Calories and protein are estimated.

Tips

Work the buttery dough quickly, with cool hands, because warm butter melts and the dough loses its elasticity.
Spread the filling on the dough once it has cooled to lukewarm, because a hot mixture melts the butter and the roll will burst during baking.
If you have an egg to spare, brush the pastries twice before baking, letting the first coat dry, so that the finished horseshoes have a glossy, marbled surface.

Frequently asked questions

Can poppy seeds go in it too?

Yes, both walnut and poppy seed horseshoes are traditional, and the recipe allows for either. With poppy seeds the slices are a little darker and lighter, and a little grated lemon zest does them good.

How should I store them?

In a metal tin or wrapped in baking paper, they keep for 1-2 weeks in a cool place. Slice them after they have cooled, because when warm the filling is very sticky and the slices can break.

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