Zserbo, Apricot and Walnut Delight

Indulge your senses with a slice of heaven! 🌟 This walnut and apricot layered cake is not just a treat for the eyes, but a symphony of flavors that dance on your palate. Each bite is a delightful journey through crunchy, nutty goodness and sweet, fruity bliss. Who's ready to savor a moment of pure sweetness?

I always used to love Zserbo, also known as Apricot and Walnut Delight, but I never made it because I fought it must be very labor-intense, and requiring a lot of skills. Luckily, I try to make it once on my own, remembering some lesson my stepmom (Julika neni) taught me. And it turns out, although I'm not the greatest baker, even I can do it!

This recipe also uses wholegrain flour to add fiber and very minimal sugar. The sugar used at the beginning is used by the yeast. Also, try to buy high quality low sugar jam so it's very flavorful, yet healthy.

Ingredients

25 ml of soy milk

2 tsp/ 7 g or two sachets of dried yeast

1/2 a cup of brown sugar

200 g of butterish or other butter substitute

Replacement for 2 eggs

450 g or 3 cups of whole grain flour

1 jar around 300 grams of apricot jam

400 g of ground walnut (walnut either grounded or put it in the food processor and just pulse it until it reaches desired consistency)

For the topping

200 grams of baking dark chocolate and following prep on chocolate wrapping instructions I used 1 tbsp butter-ish and 4 tablespoons of oat cream

Instructions

Flour , butter and egg replacement mixture for Walnut and Apricot Delight

First heat soymilk in the microwave for room temperature around 30 seconds, then mix in yeast and sugar leave it for five minutes. Should a bit foamy on top. While you're waiting for the yeast to activate, prepare egg replacement according to packet instruction.

Measure all ingredients. Cut butterish to smaller pieces, mix it with your fingers with the flour in a bowl.

When the yeast sugar and milk mixture is ready pour it to the flower and butter mixture and knead it for around 7-8 minutes with your hands.

Cover with a cloth and leave it rest for 30 minutes. Cut the dough to four equal pieces. Then, one by one roll it to sheet of 20 to 30 cm rectangle using a rolling pin on lightly floured surface. Roll first pastry, transfer to a baking tray with baking paper on. Then spread evenly 1/3 of the apricot jam and sprinkle 1/3 of the walnut on top of this.

Dough cut for Walnut and Apricot Delight - Cooking with Marchi

Repeat this with two more layers. And finish it with the fourth pastry on the top.

Bake it 160 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove it from the oven and let it cool. Using another similar size tray, put it on top then flip it over so the bottom layer will be on the top. This will make the top of the cake more even and flat.

Make the topping chocolate according to the packet instructions. I use mine as breaking it up too small pieces small rectangles then add the ingredients, putting it into the microwave for 30 seconds then remove it stir with a whisker. Put it in to another 30 seconds, stir it up and then another 30 seconds. My chocolate only did a minute and 30 seconds in the microwave like this, but you might have to do an extra one according to your chocolate.

Chocolate spread on top of Walnut and Apricot Delight - Cooking with Marchi

Then pour it over and spread it evenly on the top of your zserbo/ walnut and apricot delight. Let it cool for a few hours. I let mine cool overnight, and then the following day, cut off the edges, slice it up to 3 x 6 cm pieces. If the chocolate stars to crumble as you cut then heat up the knife by putting it into some hot water so the chocolate we are just slightly melt and not break when you cut out. It makes around 30 pieces.

Enjoy!

Walnut and Apricot Delight _Cooking with Marchi