Hungarian Non Plus Ultra Cookie Recipe- European Blog

Hungarian Non Plus Ultra Cookie Recipe.

Just in time for Easter

Celebrations.

Czegeny Style...

This recipe for Hungarian non plus ultra cookies is adapted from Clara Czegeny's "Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes". Non plus ultra literally means "none better" in French. There are many versions of this cookie from the glory days of the Austro-Hungarian empire. It's considered an apro tea sűtemény or "tiny tea cake" and usually involves two meringue-topped cookies sandwiched together with apricot lekvar or black currant jam. Czegeny's variation features chopped almonds and crushed sugar cubes. I use coarse sugar instead.

Here's a larger photo of Hungarian Non Plus Ultra Cookies.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Dough must be refrigerated: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 48 Non Plus Ultra Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (4 sticks) room-temperature butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 extra-large egg, separated
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
• Coarse sugar
• Apricot lekvar or black currant jam

Preparation:

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg yolk. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing until thoroughly incorporated. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
   
   
2. Place rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll to 1/8-inch thickness between two pieces of parchment paper. Working quickly so dough doesn't get too soft, use a round or scalloped 2-inch cutter for cookies. Cut an equal number of plain cookies and ones with the centers removed (as for linzer cookies). Remove scraps, form into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Grab the parchment paper containing the cut cookies by opposite corners, and transfer to a baking sheet.
   
   
3. Brush tops of cookies with centers cut out with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with almonds and coarse sugar. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly golden on the bottom. Remove from oven and cool slightly. While cookies are still slightly warm, sandwich them together with a thin layer of lekvar or jam. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in an airtight container or freeze.

 Linked from Barbara Rolek's Easteuropeanfood.about.com

 As seen on FINE COOKING ONLINE