Nuss Schnitten

Hailing from southern Burgenland, this traditional dessert is also called Burgenländer schnitten, which translates as Burgenland slices. It usually consists of two layers: a nut-infused dough base and a snowy-white meringue. The dough is typically made by combining butter with sugar, egg yolks, flour, and ground nuts (such as walnuts or almonds). Once baked, the nut mixture is covered with a frosting of beaten egg whites, sugar, and water before it is sent back in the oven to get a nice, golden finish. A layer of fruit jam (usually apricot or raspberry jam) is often spread over the dough before it is topped with the egg white frosting, while some versions may also include chocolate glaze, chocolate sprinkles, or coffee cream for additional flavor. There's another version of nuss schnitten that calls for ground nuts in the egg white mixture instead of being in the dough base.