Hungarian Cuisine in a Nutshell

Bejgli: The Spiraled Heart of a Hungarian Christmas Prep Time  90 min Bake Time  30-35 min Calories  342 kcal/100g Hungarian walnut and poppy seed bejgli is a rich, rolled Christmas pastry made from buttery yeast dough and swirled with generous fillings, traditionally baked in long loaves and sliced into spirals for festive sharing. It is iconic on Hungarian holiday tables, often served alongside other classics like Flódni , Somlói galuska , and Gundel pancakes as part of a generous dessert spread. Every Hungarian Christmas table tells a story, and bejgli is usually right at the center of it. The shiny, marbled loaf—its crust beautifully cracked to reveal hints of dark poppy seed or pale walnut—turns a simple baking day into a ritual of patience, scent, and celebration. In many families, there is a friendly competition over which filling wins the season: walnut (diós) for richness, or poppy seed ...