Several legends circulate about the beigli’s origin, but it’s sure that it appeared in Hungary in the second half of the 19th century and since then there is no Christmas without this pastry. Its name comes from the German word beugen (=bend in English).

The beigli’s predecessor was probably the Silesian filled challach that was already known in the 16th century. Although it’s more likely that it emerged from the famous Bratislava horseshoe. The first Bratislava horseshoes filled with ground walnuts and poppy seeds were baked in 1559 and  became very popular abroad, too.

The two kinds of filling fit in the symbolism of Christmas perfectly because poppy seeds symbolize wealth and fertility, while walnuts protect against bewitching. Today there are many different fillings like chestnuts, marzipan, and even apple, coconut and hazelnut fillings can be found.

The most frequently asked question is whether beigli will split during the baking process. My answer is: there is a chance. After trying several versions, I can say there’s no “bombproof” recipe, which can guarantee that your beigli will be intact and undamaged. If you can’t bear the sight of a split beigli, I recommend that you should not make this pastry.