This is a delicious Hungarian Jewish yeasted sweet bun, the name literally means golden dumpling. It consists of layers of tiny butter dipped buns. The walnut-sugar mix on the top is optional. I arranged the layers in a small cake pan. If a larger batch is made, you can use a regular baking pan. Three layers of these buns will produce the most delectable soft inside, although I am not sure what I like best, the soft inside or the crunchy outside. Lots of cookbooks talk about the addition of vanilla custard, either with or within the dumpling. I cannot phantom why, this is great as is, but if I had to serve it with something; I would serve it the Jewish way, with White Wine Applesauce. [Scroll down for the recipe] Hungarian immigrants brought Golden Dumpling to North America in the middle of the 20th century and the Jewish bakers popularized it. The first recipe for Aranygaluska was published in the Betty Crocker book in 1972 and was referred to as the Hungarian Coffeecake. Americans tend to confuse it with monkey bread. The dough will be a little stiff – therefore the order in which the ingredients are added is important as is the resting time before each kneading. The preparation and the flavour both remind me of challah, [here and here]. But then you end up with the loftiest and most wonderful tasting sweet buns. This is not your average bun recipe, this one is really special!
Problems in yeast baking often times are the result of either insufficient kneading or over rising. It takes practice to know the right consistency and the right amount of rising. If you follow the order of preparation and always use the same sized baking pan, it won’t be hard to get a sense how far the dough needs to rise. Notice I said how far and not how long. Conditions change all the time and as a result so does the rising time. What is given in recipes is only an approximation, not a rule.
GOLDEN DUMPLING
1/4 cup very soft butter
1 egg
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
1-1/2 tsp instant yeast
3 cups flour
1/8 cup melted butter for dipping
3 Tbsp ground walnut for topping
3 Tbsp sugar for topping
• Place the soft butter, egg, egg yolks, sugar and salt in a bowl and beat with the whisk attachment until thick.
• Gradually add the lukewarm milk.
• Add the vanilla and the instant yeast and beat to combine.
• Half a cup at a time, start adding the flour.
• After the dough formed, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• Change to a dough hook and start beating the dough.
• Beat for 5-6 minutes on medium high speed or until the dough is elastic.
• If kneading by hand, I would estimate 10 minutes of fairly vigorous kneading.
• Transfer the dough to a small buttered bowl and turn it over.
• Let the dough rest for 30 minutes for the second time. The dough will rise a little.
• Beat the dough again [it will deflate] on medium high for 5 more minutes.
• Butter the bowl again and put the dough to rise, turning the dough over once to butter the top.
• Let the dough rest for 30 minutes for the second time. The dough will rise a little.
• Beat the dough again [it will deflate] on medium high for 5 more minutes.
• Butter the bowl again and put the dough to rise, turning the dough over once to butter the top.
• When the dough is doubled, butter a deep 7 inch round cake pan.
• Melt the 1/8 cup butter.
• Form walnut-sized balls and then dip each ball into the melted butter.
• Arrange the buttered balls inside the prepared cake pan. There won’t be enough to make three whole layers, so arrange them in a pyramid fashion.
• Combine the ground walnut and the sugar and sprinkle on top of the dough balls.
• Let the dough rise and fill the entire cake pan to the top.
• Preheat the oven at 375F.
• Place the risen dough in the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown on the top.
• Ease the entire dumpling out of the cake pan by running a blunt knife around the perimeter.
• Place the dumpling on a plate. If you didn’t sprinkle the walnut mixture on top, sprinkle it with some icing sugar.
• If desired serve it with White Wine Applesauce.
• Golden Dumpling is best out of the oven, but it will be still delicious when it cools to room temperature.
WHITE WINE APPLESAUCE – FEHÉR BOROS ALMAPÜRÉ
6-8 apples, depending on the size
2/3 cup white wine
juice of 1 lemon
5 Tbsp sugar
small piece of cinnamon
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 cloves
2/3 cup white wine
juice of 1 lemon
5 Tbsp sugar
small piece of cinnamon
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 cloves
• Peel, core and slice the apples.
• Place the water, wine, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract and cloves in a small saucepan and bring to the boil.
• Add the apple slices and cook on medium low heat for 15 minutes.
• Purée and serve hot with the Golden Dumpling.
