🧑🍳 Instructions
1. Make the Dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, rub butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Divide dough into two equal portions, shape into disks, wrap in plastic, and freeze for at least 30 minutes (or until firm enough to grate).
2. Assemble:
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease a 9×13-inch (or similar) baking pan.
- Grate one portion of dough using the large holes of a box grater directly into the pan.
- Gently press down to form an even layer (don’t pack it too tightly).
- Spread jam evenly over the dough.
- Grate the remaining dough on top, spreading it evenly without pressing down too much.
3. Bake:
- Bake for 35–40 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
- Cool completely in the pan, then dust generously with powdered sugar.
- Cut into squares or bars and serve.
🥄 Tips:
- Jam choice matters — Hungarian shortbread is often made with apricot lekvár (thick apricot jam), but raspberry and plum also work beautifully.
- Freezing the dough is essential for getting that signature fluffy, crumbly texture.
- These taste even better the next day as the flavors meld!
Would you like me to include a variation with ground walnuts in the dough (very common in Hungary for an extra nutty richness)? It makes them even more authentic and flavorful.