Ahh, wonderful choice! 🇭🇺 Kürtőskalács (Chimney Cake) is one of the most iconic Hungarian street foods—crispy on the outside, caramelized with sugar, and soft on the inside. Traditionally, it’s baked over hot charcoal on wooden spits, but you can easily make a homemade oven version that tastes just as magical. ✨
Here’s a proper old-fashioned style recipe:
Hungarian Chimney Cake (Kürtőskalács) Recipe 🇭🇺
Ingredients (makes 6 cakes)
3 ½ cups (440 g) all-purpose flour
1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast
1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup (180 ml) warm milk
1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
For Coating:
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon (or cocoa, nuts, or shredded coconut for variety)
Melted butter, for brushing
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
In a bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Add yeast mixture, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.
Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a mixer).
Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, until doubled.
Prepare Baking Forms:
Traditionally, chimney cakes are baked on wooden spits, but at home you can use rolling pins or clean cans wrapped in foil. Lightly grease them with butter or oil.
Shape the Dough:
Punch down risen dough and divide into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a long strip (about ½ inch thick).
Wrap the strip around your prepared rolling pin/can, slightly overlapping to form a spiral.
Roll gently on a board so the dough flattens and seals together.
Coat with Sugar:
Brush dough with melted butter and roll in granulated sugar (mixed with cinnamon if desired).
Bake:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Place rolling pins/cans across a baking dish so they’re suspended.
Bake for 15–18 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and caramelized.
Finish & Serve:
Brush hot kürtőskalács with melted butter and immediately roll in more cinnamon sugar, cocoa, nuts, or coconut.
Slide off the mold and serve warm—they’re best eaten fresh!
💡 Tips:
For an authentic smoky taste, grill them on a barbecue rotisserie instead of baking.
Try different coatings: vanilla sugar, cocoa powder, crushed walnuts, or even Nutella spread inside.
The dough should stay soft inside but caramelized and crisp outside.
Would you like me to also give you a mini Chimney Cake version that can be made in muffin tins—great for parties and much easier for quick baking?
