Gerbeaud Slices (Žarbo Šnite, Žerbo Kocke) - Classic Layered Walnut and Apricot Cake
Gerbeaud Slices (Žarbo Šnite) are all about buttery dough intertwined with a walnut infused apricot filling, and a silky chocolate glaze. Perfect for holidays, special occasions, and as a daily indulgence. Shall we?
Jump to:
Background
(Note: cake names will be used interchangeably throughout this article.)
Žarbo slices are known by many names like Žerbo, Zserbó szelet, or Gerbeaud-style cake (pronounced zhar-boh).
They’re a beloved dessert across Central and Southeast Europe.
You’ll find them in
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia,
North Macedonia
Serbia,
Slovenia,
Hungary,
and beyond.
The cake was invented by Emil Gerbeaud - a Genevan pastry chef - who built his legacy in Budapest, in the late 1800's.
His famous pastry shop still exists today.
Elegant Gerbeaud slices moved to the Balkans during the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
(Just like štrudla, Spanish wind cake, and many more.)
Today, they're kind of a big deal for both holidays and everyday life.
Especially alongside a good cup of coffee.
Gerbeaud slices consist of thin layers of butter dough, a rich walnut and apricot jam filling, and a sheet of chocolate on top.
Tested & Trusted Source
This version comes from Coolinarika, a Croatian recipe-sharing platform popular across the ex-Yugoslav countries.
It was contributed by user ARI26 who inherited the recipe from her late mother.
While we tested dozens -
and we mean dozens! -
of Žerbo šnite recipes, ARI26's recipe is simply the best.
It carries not just the flavor, but family history and love.
Why You'll Love Gerbeaud Slices
- Classic European Cake.
Buttery dough, crunchy sweet filling, and ganache topping.
This is the kind of dessert people remember!
- Rich But Not Heavy.
Quality ingredients.
Light but filling result.
- Tried, Tested, Proven.
We tested dozens of versions.
Today's recipe is unbeatable!
- Perfect Make-Ahead Dessert
Žerbo šnite taste better after a night of resting.
Perfect for making ahead.
- Celebration Vibes!
Elegant enough for the holidays.
Simple enough for the weekends.
A cake that celebrates life every single day.
Ingredients
Although Gerbeaud slices (Žarbo šnite) are fancy, you can find ingredients for it in almost every grocery store.
Dough
- Flour. Regular white all-purpose flour is called for here. Don't make substitutions.
- Sugar. Granulated white sugar, the kind your grandma used. Again, no substitutes.
- Eggs. Chicken eggs, as fresh as you can get them.
- Butter. Regular butter.
- Milk. Regular milk. Substitute with plant based.
- Yeast. Dry yeast is best, but active dry yeast will also do.
- Salt. A pinch.
- Vanilla. Extract in form of sugar or liquid is added to the cake, to enhance the flavor.
Filling
- Apricot Jam. Apricot gives a special and recognizable note of sweet to the cake. Substitute with another lighter jam, or mix it up (one layer apricot, one sour cherry, etc.).
- Walnuts. Look for the freshest walnuts you can find. Preferably just de-shelled, so you can grind them yourself. CRUCIAL!
- Sugar. Granulated white sugar, the kind your grandma used. Again, no substitutes.
- Rum. Regular or extract. Works with vanilla to deepen the flavor profile.
Chocolate Glaze
- Chocolate. While baking and milk chocolates work, we find milk chocolate takes it to the next level. Your choice!
- Milk. Regular milk. Substitute with plant based.
- Oil. Vegetable or olive.
- Butter. Regular butter.
Instructions
Step-by-step Gerbeaud slices instructions are below.
Step 1. Proof the yeast.
Step 2. Make the dough.
Step 3. Divide and rest in fridge.
Step 4. Make the filling.
Step 5. (Not pictured.) Prep the pan.
Step 6. Form the first dough and filling layers.
Step 7. Form the remaining layers.
Step 9. (Not pictured.) Rest. Heat oven. Bake.
Step 10. Cool and flip.
Step 11. (Not pictured.) Cool completely.
Step 12. Make the glaze and top it.
Step 13. (Not pictured.) Refrigerate overnight.
Step 14. (Not pictured.) Take out 20 min before serving and cut.
Variations
- Different Nuts. For a slightly different flavor, replace a part (or all) of the walnuts with ground hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios or pecans.
- Jam Swap. Similarly to above, you can use plum, raspberry, or sour cherry jam instead of the traditional apricot.
- Citrusy Twist. A pinch of finely grated orange zest in the filling pairs well with chocolate and walnuts.
Handling
Here are a few ideas how to store and serve Gerbeaud slices.
Serving. Once the cake is room temp (after you take it out of the fridge), cut into neat squares (2x2 inches 5x5 cm), or rectangles, using a sharp knife.
Tip: for perfectly cut slices, wipe the blade between cuts.
Alternatively, cut a row or two, and keep the rest of the cake in one piece. (This prevents drying out.)
Serve with coffee or tea.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Keep tightly wrapped to prevent drying.
If you notice the glaze is melting, place it in the fridge earlier.
Making Ahead is totally possible. Assemble the cake a day in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight before baking and adding the glaze.
Don't freeze.
Now check out a few cakes...
More Cakes We 💙
Here are a few more tortes and cakes that are deliciously good.
Expert Tips
Patience pays here
If you haven't made butter dough before, give yourself time to learn.
Working with this kind of dough takes practice.
Rest the dough in the fridge 20-ish minutes
Easier to roll and handle.
Gives gluten time to do its thing.
Take out only the piece you're working on.
But not too much longer than that
Too cold of dough is even worse than dough not cold enough.
If too cold, give it time to reach room temperature.
Score every layer
Prick generously with a fork.
It releases steam during baking.
And it keeps the layers from puffing unevenly.
Press layers gently
Lightly press dough over filling so it settles.
Avoid squeezing out the filling.
Let the cake rest before baking
Improves flavor and texture.
It helps the layers bake evenly.
Cool completely before adding chocolate
Hot cake will melt the chocolate topping.
Cooled cake merges with it perfectly.
Recipe FAQs
Sure, but it's better to wait.
In the past we topped the cake with the glaze immediately but we changed our mind!
The glaze simply sets better when applied to a cooled cake.
Absolutely.
Originally, dark or baking chocolate was used in Žarbo šnite.
However, using milk chocolate is an insider tip that makes this cake even tastier (as if that was possible!).
Perhaps.
But if you do, make sure they're super fresh. The cake really depends on great, fresh walnuts.
Thoughts?
If you made Gerbeaud Slices (Žarbo Šnite, Žerbo Kocke) and liked them, please consider giving the recipe a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This helps others find the recipe more easily!
Also, feel free to leave a comment (I read each one!), and don't forget to tag a photo #balkanlunchbox, or us @balkanlunchbox, on IG.
Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!
Gerbeaud Slices (Žarbo Šnite, Žerbo Kocke)
Equipment
- One 16x10 inch (40x26 cm) baking pan or slightly smaller, but not by too much
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 cups all-purpose flour, and a pinch more (for pan dusting)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 packet (7-10 grams) vanilla sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs whole, large
- 1 and ¼ cups butter equivalent to 2.5 sticks, softened and diced
- ⅔ cup milk warmed
Filling
- 2.5 cups apricot jam
- 3.5 cups walnuts fresh and ground
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon rum or rum extract
Chocolate Glaze
- 9 ounces milk chocolate
- 5 tablespoons oil vegetable or olive
- 3.5 tablespoons butter
- 5 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Dough
- Proof the yeast. In a small bowl, mix warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon (12 g) of sugar. Let it rest until it starts to foam (about 10-15 minutes).
- Make the dough. In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, salt, vanilla, and butter. Mix with a hand mixer well until you get a crumbly dough. Continue by hand and add activated yeast, and then eggs. Knead vigorously until a smooth, thick dough forms. This takes several minutes, and some elbow grease as butter dough is tough to make.(Don't overdo it as the dough might become tougher. Once you have a sticky, cohesive ball, you're good.)
- Divide and rest in the fridge. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. (Use a kitchen scale for precision if you have one.) Cover in clear foil and transfer to the fridge. Let rest for 20-30 minutes.
Filling
- Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine jam, walnuts, sugar and rum. Mix well until integrated. Set aside.
- Prep the pan. Take a baking pan and grease it, then lightly flour it as well.
Assemble
- Form the first dough and filling layers. Take one piece of the dough from the fridge leaving the remaining pieces inside for the moment. If you wish, you can put it on a piece of parchment paper the size of your pan for precision. Using a rolling pin roll the dough out into a rectangle the size of your pan, (or pan-sized parchment paper, if using it). (Do this carefully, while the dough is firm, it's still delicate.) This part is challenging, so give yourself time and patience. Gently transfer to the baking pan. Adjust the dough slightly with your fingers if needed. It should be evenly distributed. Score the dough by pricking it with a fork in several places. (This helps with the steam release and controls how the dough rises while baking.) Take ⅓ of the filling and spread it evenly over the dough.
- Please Note! You'll be taking the dough pieces out of the fridge one by one. However, don't leave the remaining pieces in the fridge too long. Butter dough is hard enough to work with. If it's too cold it'll be almost impossible to get it to roll out. You'll have to give it time to reach room temp which will add more time to preparation.
- Form the remaining cake layers. Take the second part of the dough from the fridge, and repeat the rolling out process. Transfer to the pan and slightly push with your fingers so it settles well with the filling on the bottom. Score the dough. Take the second ⅓ of the filling and spread it evenly over the dough.
- Repeat. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, ending with the fourth piece of dough on top. (Score this piece as well.)
Rest
- Let rest. Cover and let the cake rest for about 60 minutes. About 50 minutes in, heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake & Cool
- Bake the cake. Uncover and place the pan into the oven. Bake the cake for about 50 minutes, or until golden. You can cover with foil if it starts to blush too much.
- Cool and flip. Cool the cake for about 20 minutes. Using a sharp knife, loosen the cake edges in the pan, and carefully invert the pan onto another tray. (This is so the glaze will be painted on a smooth and flat cake surface.) Take the pan off, and cover the cake with a kitchen towel.
- Cool completely. Leave the cake until it cools completely, about 1-2 hours.
Add Glaze
- Make and add the glaze. In a small pot, combine chocolate glaze ingredients, and heat over low. Stir frequently. When all the ingredients have melted and integrated together, the glaze is done. Pour over the cake, and lightly shake the cake side to side so it sets evenly. Let the glaze set, cool and thicken.
Rest Overnight
- Refrigerate overnight. Cover the pan or tray with a plastic wrap tightly and transfer to the fridge.
Serving and Handling
- Serve by removing it from the fridge 20 minutes before serving for easier cutting. Cut into 2×2-inch (5×5 cm) squares or rectangles using a sharp knife. Wipe the blade between cuts. Serve with coffee or tea.Alternatively, cut a row or two, and keep the rest of the cake in one piece. (This prevents drying out.) Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days. Wrap well to prevent drying.Make ahead by assembling the cake a day ahead, covering it tightly, and refrigerating overnight before baking and glazing.
Notes
- Preparation Time (Most of this is hands-off.)
- Nutrition Information
- Variations
- Expert Tips
Aloha Aida,
I cannot thank you enough for this recipe, which I have been searching for a number of years. My grandmother was born in Split and she and my mother used to make these cookies every Christmas. Needless to say, no written recipe so nothing but memories until now.
Found your blog today and am enjoying your stories and recipes. I will be a regular reader.
JoAnn
PS All four of my grandparents immigrated to the United States from Croatia.
Aloha JoAnn,
Welcome! How lovely that you want to resume family traditions. Croatia is beautiful, I hope you had a chance to visit and explore. These squares are delicious, but they do take a little bit of patience. The result is well worth it.
🙂