Rigó Jancsi Recipe
This classic Hungarian dessert consists of two layers of chocolate sponge cake held together with a sweet, mousse-like cocoa cream filling, sometimes flavored with a hint of dark rum, while the cake itself is typically covered with a rich dark chocolate ganache.
Long favorite in Hungary, this cake was created in the late 19th century by an unknown pastry chef from Budapest who gave him the name of the greatest romantic scandal of the era: a bohemian lifestyle with the famous Hungarian gypsy violinist Rigó János (or Rigó Jancsi). Chimay’s princess Clara Ward, who left her family to live. Although their love story doesn’t last long, it has become a sweet Hungarian classic and can be found in every coffeehouse and bakery in Budapest even today.
Rigo Jancsi Recipe
Required Ingredients for Rigo Jancsi / 15 pcs
Sponge Cake
- 5 eggs
- 150 gr all-purpose flour
- 150 gr granulated sugar
- 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 30 g of vegetable oil
- A pinch of salt (1-2 g)
Filling
- 800 gr whipped cream
- 150 g icing sugar
- 30-40 g unsweetened cocoa
- 20 g gelatin powder
- 90-100 g of water
- Vanilla extract, a few drops
Ganache
- 80 g dark chocolate
- 30 gr oil
- 40-50 g of apricot jam
- 30 g rum, cognac or whiskey
How to Make Rigo Jancsi
Preheat the oven to 180 ° C. Put baking paper on a 30 × 25 cm baking tray and spray with a non-stick spray.
Mix the flour, cocoa and salt. In another bowl, beat the eggs with sugar; After about 7 minutes the mixture should be pale yellow and foamy. Whisk the dry ingredients carefully and add to the egg mixture. Spread the sponge dough evenly on the tray and bake for 8-10 minutes.
When the sponge is baked, let it cool first and then cut it into two pieces of 15 × 25 cm.
To prepare the top layer, mix the jam with rum and spread it on a sponge. Then melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave oil. Pour the ganache on the rum sponge. Chill for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate hardens. Slice the ganache covered sponge into 15 5 cm squares.
To make the filling, soak the gelatin in water for 5 minutes. Mix powdered sugar with cocoa. Whisk the whipped cream and then add the dry ingredients and vanilla extract and mix well with the gelatin.
Spread the filling evenly on the bottom sponge and then finish the cake by mounting the ganache-glazed sponge squares on top of the filling. Slice the cubes just before serving cold.
