Hungarian Tart is a soft biscuit like treat spread with jam then sealed with a crumbly top layer. Like most fruit tarts it reminds me of fruit cobbler in its makeup of fruit (in this case jam) sandwiched between two layers of dough. It resembles German Streusel more than it does any other tart I’ve ever seen or tasted. Hungarian Tart has no known association with Hungarian cuisine but remains a South African favorite. Amma used to make Hungarian tart mostly for Diwali or when we were expecting visitors. Easy to make these are a treat for any occasion.
When I first posted this recipe way back in September 2011, I did not know of a similar recipe in existence or perhaps its original source until a reader posted a comment about it. A search for the origin of this recipe led me to Saveur magazine which posted a recipe for Hungarian Shortbread from Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan (Morrow, 1996). A recipe made famous by Julia Child. Over the last few years I have had my own adaptations to Amma’s Hungarian tart. I prefer baking with butter instead of margarine and like the crumbly melt in mouth biscuit textured tarts to cake like ones.
This post features three recipes, Amma’s South African Hungarian Tart, Eggless Hungarian Tart and my own Eggless Hungarian Shortbread Recipe
Hungarian Tart vs. Hungarian Shortbread
The two recipes are almost identical in ingredients except for the use of oil, not featured in the shortbread version. The shortbread version is not the same as classic shortbread using a ratio of 1 part sugar: 2 parts butter: 3 parts flour. Instead it also uses egg yolk and baking powder for a fluffy soft cake like texture rather than crumby biscuit texture. I’ve wondered if the South African version of the recipe was one adapted for economical reasons, i.e. reduced butter content and the use of oil, perhaps to account for the reduced butter content. The South African Hungarian tart recipe also uses 2 whole eggs instead of just the yolks.
Hungarian Tart (pictured below left) has an elastic dough texture vs. the soft buttery one of hungarian shortbread (on the right).
South African Hungarian Tart
Hungarian Tart (Krummel Tert) has a thick base and is covered with a crumb layer. The thickness of the base varies according to personal preference. For a thick base use a deep pan or tart pan and for a thinner tart base use a flat sheet. I prefer thin tart base not more than 2cm high, mostly because a thicker base results in drier taste and texture.
Similar to pink snowballs its texture lies somewhere between a cake and biscuit. Still it results in a firm dough suitable enough to grate over the jam forming the top layer of the Hungarian Tart. Amma mostly made Hungarian Tart with mixed fruit Jam, the result was red Hungarian tarts. You may also use the jam flavour of your choice. I have used a black berry jam which accounts for the deep violet color. I also prefer butter instead of margarine.
Amma’s Hungarian tart recipe was sourced from one of the local Newspapers. A similar recipe does appear in Indian Delights but I am not sure of the original source of this recipe. The recipe uses both oil and margarine, eggs and baking powder which result in a soft biscuit like texture for the base.
South African Hungarian Tart Recipe
Hungarian Tart Recipe (South African)
Ingredients:
- Ingredients
- 4 cups cake flour
- additional flour for dusting
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoons vanilla essence
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
- 250g butter
- 2 eggs
- Quarter cup jam for spreading
Instructions:
- Sift the Flour. Add Baking powder.
- Beat the Butter and sugar. I prefer using icing sugar rather than granulated sugar.This results in a smooth biscuit dough.
- Add vanilla essence and oil to the butter and sugar. Then add beaten eggs.
- Combine the butter mixture with the flour to form a soft pliable biscuit like dough.If it is too sticky-add a little more flour until it is manageable.
- Break apart into two pieces. Roll one portion into a square form. Use knife to cut out straight edges, this well help give the Hungarian tart a neat shape and less wasted edge pieces when cooked. It is best to roll the dough on parchment (baking paper) then transfer onto a baking tray.
- Spread Jam over the rolled dough.
- Grate the second piece of dough over the jam. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool then cut into squares.Enjoy!
Recipe Source: https://www.foodlikeammausedtomakeit.info/2011/09/hungarian-tart-recipe.html
Notes:
Did you make this recipe?
Eggless Hungarian Tart
My most commonly used substitutes for eggs in baking are the following ingredients:
Instead of 1 egg you can use ¼ cup yogurt or ¼ cup cooking oil or 1 ripe banana or 1 cup apple sauce. In this recipe I used 175ml yogurt.
Eggless Hungarian Tart Recipe
Eggless Hungarian Tart Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 cups cake flour
- additional 25g flour for dusting
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoons vanilla essence
- 250g butter
- 4 tablespoons vegetable cooking oil
- 175 ml yogurt
- Quarter cup jam for spreading
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius.
- Combine the butter and sugar until soft.
- Sift in the flour into the butter mixture. Combine until soft bread crumb like texture forms.
- Mix oil, and yogurt together. Add to the bread crumb like mixture.
- Mix until a soft pliable dough forms. The texture of the dough should resemble scone dough or snowballs.
- Separate the two into two portions. One for the base and one for the topping.
- Place one half onto a lined baking tray. I recommend a trat pan or pyrex oven dish. Flatten dough to fit the outline of the pan. Press until even. Alternatively you can use baking paper. Simply roll the dough flat . I recommend rolling the base thin becasue it will rise once baked. It should not be more than 2cm high otherwise it will be a dry hungarian tart.
- I prefer poking a few holes in the dough at this stage to make sure it bakes through.
- Ocne the bottom layer has been prepared, Cover with a layer of jam of choice.
- Cover the jam layer with a grated layer of dough. Simply grate the dough over the jam.
- Place in the oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool then cut into squares.
- Enjoy with a cup of tea.
Recipe Source: https://www.foodlikeammausedtomakeit.info/2011/09/hungarian-tart-recipe.html
Did you make this recipe?
Eggless Hungarian Shortbread
This recipe has a crumbly biscuit texture. It has no baking powder and uses oil as a substitute for eggs. Unlike the previous two recipes. The dough has to be refrigerated to allow the dough to be grated, otherwise it will be too soft.
Eggless Hungarian Shortbread Recipe
Eggless Hungarian Shortbread
Ingredients:
- 50g sugar
- 100g butter
- 150g flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- pinch of salt
- 25g flour for dusting
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
- Soften butter by smashing with a fork.
- Sift flour and baking powder.
- Combine flour and baking powder.
- Add to butter.
- Mix until bread crumbs form.
- Add oil.
- Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Separate into two parts. Place one half in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Roll one part of dough flat on a baking sheet or press into a tart pan. Place in fridge for 30 minutes.
- Remove from fridge.
- Spread the rolled portion with jam of choice.
- Grate the remaining portion over the jam.
- Place in oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool then cut into squares.
Recipe Source: https://www.foodlikeammausedtomakeit.info/2011/09/hungarian-tart-recipe.html
Did you make this recipe?
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Plum Tart
