János Rákóczi was an outstanding figure in 20th-century Hungarian hospitality. The cottage cheese filling of the cake is characterized by peach jam and meringue. Not the prince's dessert: it was named after master chef János Rákóczi. This makes it less saber-rattling, but much creamier. In the end, however, the empty plates always give the most accurate verdict.
Thorough preparation
- Preparation: prepare all the ingredients and tools, read the steps, then measure the ingredients. This way, you don't have to rush while cooking, and it's easier to find the right consistency.
- Knead the linzer dough quickly, let it rest for 30 minutes, then spread it on a baking sheet and bake it at 180 °C for 10 minutes. Work with a preheated oven and check color, smell and texture towards the end of the time, because ovens perform differently.
- Mix the cottage cheese with the sugar, egg, lemon zest and semolina, spread it on the pre-baked base, then bake until done. Work with a preheated oven and check color, smell and texture towards the end of the time, because ovens perform differently.
- Whip the egg whites with the sugar into a shiny, hard foam and spread it over the cooling curd layer. Go slowly and check the texture, aroma and balance of flavors before each subsequent operation.
- Dry the meringue at a lower temperature, and fill the gaps in the meringue lattice with apricot jam. Go slowly and check the texture, aroma and balance of flavors before each subsequent operation.
- Finishing and serving: let the food settle for a few minutes, if its character allows. Taste it, adjust the seasoning, and then serve it at the right temperature for the food.
Practical tips and common mistakes
- Break the curd, and just dry the foam: here, the cracked roof is not a historical monument.
- Cut the ingredients to the same size, so they are prepared more evenly.
- Add the spices in several portions and taste after each larger step.
- Only cool the leftovers and put them in the fridge, covered, and reheat them according to the nature of the food before consumption.