Snow crescent (Hungarian: hókifli)

Snow crescent (Hungarian: hókifli) is a popular Hungarian version of a Christmas sweet that is common throughout Central Europe.

Like the legend of most crescent-shaped cakes, this one is also believed to originate from Vienna and its half-moon shape reminds of the victory over the Turks. The first known recipe can be found in Katharina Prato's cookbook published in 1858 and is made from linzer dough, without filling, and rolled in powdered sugar while still hot after baking.

Nowadays, it is produced in countless versions. Some recipes use yeast or baking powder as a bulking agent, mix ground almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts into the dough and fill it with plum, peach or cherry jam, or with walnuts, poppy seeds or chestnuts. The little cookies will be white from the icing sugar, hence the name snow crescent.