Chimney Cake (Kürtőskalács)
A traditional Hungarian spit cake with caramelized sugar crust, crispy outside and fluffy inside. Often rolled in cinnamon sugar, nuts, or cocoa.
Dough Ingredients
- 500g (4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 7g (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 120ml (½ cup) warm milk (~110°F/43°C)
- 2 large eggs
- 60g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Coating Options
- Cinnamon sugar (100g sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon)
- Ground walnuts or pecans
- Cocoa powder
- Shredded coconut
Special Equipment
- Chimney cake rollers (wooden or metal)
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- Pastry brush
Instructions
- Prepare Dough
- Activate yeast in warm milk with 1 tsp sugar
- Mix flour, sugar, salt in stand mixer
- Add yeast mixture, eggs, melted butter, vanilla
- Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth
- Let rise 1 hour until doubled
- Shape & Roll
- Divide dough into 8 equal parts
- Roll each into long ropes (about 1cm thick)
- Wrap spirally around greased rollers, slightly overlapping
- Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
- Place rollers on baking sheet
- Bake 15 minutes until golden
- Coat & Caramelize
- Brush melted butter on hot cakes
- Roll in cinnamon sugar mixture while warm
- Remove from rollers carefully
Serving Suggestions
- Serve warm as street food
- Fill with ice cream for dessert
- Pair with hot chocolate in winter
Expert Tips
✔ Maintain even dough thickness for uniform baking
✔ Rotate rollers halfway through baking
✔ For extra crispiness, broil 1 minute at end
This iconic Central European treat gets its name from the hollow center resembling a chimney! Perfect for festivals or cozy winter days. 🇭🇺🔥
