Gundel Palacsinta with Walnut Filling and Dark Chocolate Sauce

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A classic Hungarian dessert with a luxurious, restaurant-quality finish.
• Silky, rum-scented crêpes filled with fragrant walnuts, raisins, and bright citrus.
• Make-ahead friendly: crêpes, filling, and sauce can be prepped in advance.
• Glossy dark-chocolate sauce ties everything together in a stunning presentation.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 orange, 1 lemon
• Dairy: Whole milk, heavy cream, unsalted butter, eggs
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, dark chocolate (60–70%), walnuts, raisins, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, salt, dark rum, neutral oil or extra butter

Full Ingredients

For the crêpes

• All-purpose flour: 1 cup (125 g)
• Whole milk: 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)
• Sparkling water (or club soda): 1/2 cup (120 ml)
• Large eggs: 3
• Granulated sugar: 2 tbsp (25 g)
• Unsalted butter, melted: 2 tbsp (28 g), plus more for the pan
• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
• Fine salt: 1/4 tsp

For the walnut–raisin filling

• Raisins: 1/2 cup (75 g)
• Dark rum: 2 tbsp (30 ml), plus more to taste
• Finely ground walnuts: 2 cups (200 g)
• Granulated sugar: 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (80 g)
• Whole milk: 1/2 cup (120 ml)
• Finely grated orange zest: from 1 orange
• Finely grated lemon zest: from 1/2 lemon
• Ground cinnamon: 1/4 tsp
• Fine salt: pinch

For the glossy dark-chocolate sauce

• Heavy cream: 1 cup (240 ml)
• Granulated sugar: 2 tbsp (25 g)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process preferred): 1 tbsp (8 g)
• Dark chocolate (60–70%), finely chopped: 6 oz (170 g)
• Unsalted butter: 1 tbsp (14 g)
• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
• Fine salt: pinch
• Optional: dark rum 1 tbsp (15 ml)

For cooking and serving

• Butter or neutral oil for the pan
• Orange zest threads and chopped walnuts, for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Soak the raisins and set up

Add the raisins to a small bowl and pour over the rum. Let soak for 15 minutes until plump. Heat the oven to 200°F/95°C and place a heatproof plate inside to keep cooked crêpes warm. Have an 8–9 inch nonstick skillet ready and a small bowl of melted butter or neutral oil with a pastry brush.

Step 2: Make and rest the crêpe batter

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, sparkling water, vanilla, and melted butter. Gradually whisk the wet mixture into the dry until smooth (or blend 15–20 seconds). Rest the batter 15 minutes to relax the flour and minimize tearing. If it thickens noticeably, whisk in 1–2 tbsp milk to loosen; it should be the consistency of heavy cream.

Step 3: Cook thin, lacy crêpes

Heat the skillet over medium heat until evenly hot. Lightly brush with butter. Pour in about 1/4 cup (60 ml) batter, swirling immediately to coat the bottom in a thin layer. Cook 30–45 seconds until the edges look dry and lacy and the underside has light golden spots. Flip with a thin spatula and cook 10–20 seconds on the second side. Slide onto the warm plate and cover loosely with foil. Repeat to make about 12 crêpes, buttering the pan as needed.

Step 4: Make the walnut–raisin filling

In a small saucepan, heat the milk and sugar for the filling over medium heat just until steaming and the sugar dissolves. In a bowl, combine the ground walnuts, cinnamon, salt, orange zest, and lemon zest. Stir in the hot milk mixture until moist and spreadable. Drain the raisins (reserve any rum) and fold them in along with the reserved rum. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken. The mixture should be soft but not runny; add a splash of milk if too stiff, or a spoon of walnuts if too loose.

Step 5: Prepare the glossy dark-chocolate sauce

Place chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, whisk the cream, sugar, and cocoa. Bring just to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let sit 1 minute, then whisk from the center outward until smooth and glossy. Stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt (and optional rum). Keep warm on the lowest heat or in a warm water bath; do not boil.

Step 6: Fill and warm the palacsinta

Working one at a time, spread 2–3 tbsp of the walnut filling onto a crêpe. Roll into a cigar or fold into quarters (classic presentation). Arrange in a buttered baking dish, cover loosely with foil, and warm in the 200°F/95°C oven for 5–10 minutes to heat through without drying.

Step 7: Sauce and serve

Warm plates if possible. Place two filled crêpes per serving, then ladle the hot chocolate sauce generously over the top so it drips down the sides. Garnish with orange zest threads and a sprinkle of chopped walnuts. Serve immediately while everything is warm and the sauce is glossy.

Pro Tips

• Strain the batter through a fine sieve after mixing for ultra-smooth, lacy crêpes.
• Keep the pan at steady medium heat; too hot and the crêpes will brown before they set, too cool and they’ll turn rubbery.
• Grind walnuts finely for a creamy filling, but leave a tablespoon or two slightly coarser for pleasing texture.
• Use Dutch-process cocoa in the sauce for the deepest color and a smoother, less acidic chocolate flavor.
• If the sauce thickens as it stands, whisk in 1–2 tbsp warm cream to restore a pourable gloss.

Variations

• Flambé finish: Warm 2–3 tbsp dark rum, remove the pan from heat, ignite carefully, and pour the flames over plated crêpes just before saucing.
• Hazelnut twist: Swap walnuts for finely ground toasted hazelnuts and finish with a few chopped, toasted hazelnuts on top.
• Extra citrus: Add 1 tbsp finely chopped candied orange peel to the filling and a dash of orange liqueur (such as Cointreau) in the sauce.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Crêpes: Stack with parchment between each, wrap airtight, and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight. Filling: Refrigerate up to 3 days; loosen with a splash of warm milk if needed. Chocolate sauce: Refrigerate up to 4 days; rewarm gently over low heat or in a microwave at 50% power, whisking often. Assembled crêpes can be filled, covered, and refrigerated up to 24 hours; warm in a 300°F/150°C oven for 10–12 minutes, then sauce just before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 serving (2 filled crêpes with sauce): 790 calories; 55 g fat; 62 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 5 g fiber; 320 mg sodium. Values will vary based on exact ingredients and portion sizes.