Hungarian Palacsinta Recipes

GRANDMA IRENA'S PALACSINTA (HUNGARIAN CREPES)

Steps:

• Combine the flour and eggs and mix until smooth. Add the milk, soda water, vegetable oil, and salt and mix to combine; refrigerate the batter overnight.
• To make the pancakes, heat a lightly greased frying pan over medium heat. Remove the batter from the refrigerator and mix well. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan and cook the pancake for about one minute. Flip it over and cook for another minute, or until golden brown. Remove the pancake from the pan and place it on waxed paper. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the pancakes while keeping them separate with waxed paper.
• To make the filling, combine the chopped almonds, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and rum (if desired) in a saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is creamy. Allow it to cool slightly before filling the pancakes.
• For the chocolate topping, combine the water, 1/2 cup sugar, and chocolate in a saucepan and cook over low heat just until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and add the margarine, stirring until melted and combined.
• Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of almond filling onto each pancake, rolling them up and placing them on a platter. (You will have 10 to 15 total, depending on their size.) Pour the chocolate topping over the platter of rolled pancakes. If desired, warm the platter in a microwave for about 30 seconds before serving.

HUNGARIAN PALACSINTA (CREPES)

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk the eggs with 1/2 cup of the milk and the salt. Whisk in the flour until smooth, then whisk in the remaining milk and the butter; the batter should have the consistency of cream. Let the batter rest for 1 hour.
• Heat a 7-inch crêpe pan and brush with butter. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and rotate it immediately to coat the bottom evenly; pour any excess batter back into the bowl. Cook the crêpe over moderate heat until lightly browned on the bottom, about 30 seconds. Flip the crêpe and cook the second side until brown dots appear, about 10 seconds longer. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with the melted butter and remaining batter to make 18 crêpes.
• In a saucepan, melt the apricot jam with the lemon juice; stir until smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 400°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread each crêpe with 1 teaspoon of jam and 1 tablespoon of walnuts. Fold it into quarters and transfer to the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining crêpes. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 10 minutes, or until hot. Sprinkle with the remaining walnuts and sift confectioners' sugar on top. Serve the crêpes warm, with chocolate sauce if you like.

HUNGARIAN SWEET PANCAKES (PALACSINTA)

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs , milk, club soda, and orange juice. Stir in flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract to form a smooth batter.
• Heat 1 teaspoon butter in an 8-inch skillet. Use a small ladle to add enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin, even layer, rotating pan as needed to cover.
• Cook for 2 minutes on the first side and 1 1/2 minutes on the second side or until the pancake is lightly browned. Remove and keep warm while cooking the rest of the pancakes with the remainder of the butter and batter.
• Fill with any combination of fruit preserves, sugared ground nuts, whipped cream and fresh fruit, pie filling, etc., and roll or fold into triangles. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a grating of chocolate, or a fruit, custard, or chocolate sauce , if desired.
• Enjoy.

HUNGARIAN BLINTZ LOAF (PALACSINTA FELFUJT)

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F if using a glass pan). Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
• 2. To make the batter: In a blender, food processor, or large bowl, beat together all the batter ingredients until smooth.
• 3. To make the filling: Combine all the filling ingredients.
• 4. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, drop the filling by heaping tablespoonfuls over the batter, then carefully top with the remaining batter (the layers will mix a bit). The loaf can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Return to room temperature before baking.
• 5. Bake until puffed and lightly browned, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm, accompanied with a fruit sauce or fresh fruit if desired.

HUNGARIAN PANCAKES (PALACSINTA)

Steps:

• Beat eggs well.
• Add milk, salt, sugar, and vanilla, Gradually add sifted flour beating until smooth a a thin batter.
• Heat small frying pan (or crepe pan).
• Spray lightly with Pam.
• Pour in enough batter to cover pan with very thin layer.
• Tilt pan with circular motion with wrist so mixture spreads eveny.
• Pancakes cook very quicly, about 30 secs on each side.
• Spread cheese filling, or grape jelly, or lekvar, or any jelly you like on the pancake and roll.
• You can also eat plain with a little powdered sugar sifted on top.
• Cheese filling: mix all ingredients well, adding sugar to taste.