Old-Fashioned Hungarian Zserbó Szelet (Gerbeaud Cake)

Ingredients

Dough

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup butter, softened
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 packet active dry yeast (2¼ tsp)
• ½ cup warm milk
• 1 pinch salt

Filling

• 2 cups ground walnuts
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup apricot jam

Topping

• 4 oz dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Dissolve yeast in warm milk with a little sugar and let stand 10 minutes.
2. Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter, egg, and yeast mixture to form a soft dough.
3. Divide dough into 3–4 equal portions and roll each into rectangles.
4. Place the first layer in a greased baking pan and spread with apricot jam.
5. Sprinkle with the walnut and sugar mixture.
6. Repeat layers, finishing with a dough layer on top.
7. Bake at 350°F / 175°C for 35–40 minutes until golden.
8. Melt chocolate with butter and spread over the cooled cake.
9. Let set, then cut into small squares before serving.