There is also luck among the Hungarian cake candidates
– Music and confectionery can be brought together in both ways, says Zsuzsa Halász, whose latest work was included in the 2022 semi-finals of the Hungarian Cake. “When I found out, I couldn’t believe it, but now I’m with it all!” I am trying to earn this prestigious title this year, adds the confectioner of the KisFalász Confectionery in Szerencs.
Zsuzsa Halász became a confectioner from a music teacher by marrying Tamás Halász, the managing director of Halász Produkt Kft., Who had a long history.
From the goods of the area
For the first time in the history of KisHalász Confectionery, it started in the competition, which was formulated in Zsuzsa Halász last December, guided by the desire to create a lasting, regional delicacy. Selected from the fruits and plants grown in the area, so to speak, showcasing the flavors of the area, the recipe for intoxication in Hegyalja was formed quite slowly. The ingredients of the cake include the typical grapes of the region, a little yellow muscat wine, elderberry, a little pecan and a little white chocolate.
“I chose another wine first, because yellow muscat is my favorite wine, I had to smuggle it in, but elder was also included in the ingredients later,” Zsuzsa Halász recalls.
“I tried a lot of variations by the time the taste came out, which I and others liked, and which then had to be refined to make the cake meet all the criteria of the competition,” recalls the idea. The main criteria are: The cake can only be made from natural ingredients. Accordingly, no additives, artificial colors or flavors may be used for baking, they must contain a minimum of 40 per cent sponge cake and, together with the decoration, must not be higher than 8 centimeters.
“I experimented, varied, refined, and made it 30 times for two months, until I finally formed a cake for the competition that included everyone’s opinion. In compiling the ingredients, in addition to the criticisms, I also paid attention to the fact that the cake is also delicious for those who don’t like wine or too sweet. I also tried to bring in a little freshness, so a little lemon was included as well. What caused the most difficulty, however, was guessing the name of the cake. Eventually, Hegyalja got its name from Szerencs, and the intoxication from wine, says the confectioner.
The Hungarian Confectionery Industry Association announced the Hungarian Cake competition for the sixteenth time this year. The professional jury will announce the winner after a three-round evaluation. In the first round, the jury selected the 5 nominated cakes from the anonymous nominated cakes, which will be re-tasted in the second round and suggestions for their improvement. This round will be at the end of April.
In the finals, the cakes must be prepared for the competitors in the presence of the jury in the craft workshop, where the jury will again select the winning cake with a typical score, the village will be tasted for the first time at the ceremonies on August 20th. After that, it will be sold by hundreds of confectioneries in the country.
(On the cover photo: Zsuzsa Halász (middle) in the semi-finals. Photo: our reader)