Homemade Hungarian Chimney Cakes (Kürtőskalács)
Chimney cakes, or Kürtőskalács, are a delicious and unique treat from Hungaria, a staple sweet bread at outdoor festivals, carnivals, and street vendors.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 240 g plain white flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 30 g sugar
- 1 tsp instant dry yeast
- 1 egg
- 80 ml milk lukewarm
- 45 g melted butter slightly cooled
- 2 tbsp melted butter for brushing
- 100 g sugar for topping
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon for topping
Instructions
- You can make 2 large cakes or 4 small cakes so use small or large rolling pins as desired. Ensure to use wood with no plastic or meltable pieces. For more details, please see the section ‘Equipment & Tools’ in the blog post.
- Cover rolling pins fully with aluminum foil and then with parchment paper as shown in the picture below. Using parchment paper is optional.
- I used my bread machine to make the dough. You can do it in a stand mixer with a dough hook or knead by hand.
- If kneading by hand, lightly flour the work surface, then tip the dough onto it. Knead for 7-10 minutes, until the dough is no longer sticky and springs back when poked with the finger. For more details about making the dough by hand, please read this post Apple Buns (Japanese Ringo Pan)
- Grease a large bowl with cooking oil, then place the kneaded dough into it. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let proof in a warm place for about 1 hr or until double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prep the rolling pins by brushing them with melted butter.
- Once the dough has proved, divide it into 2 or 4 equal parts. Work with one piece at a time. Keep the remaining dough covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying.
- Roll the dough roughly into a rectangular shape. Use a pizza cutter to cut it into thin strips.
- Gently wrap the strip of dough around the prepared rolling pin (s) ensuring each strip overlaps the previous one slightly. Gently press the dough with your fingers to ensure the strips stick together. Repeat the process for the remaining chimney cakes.
- Use a pastry brush to coat each chimney cake with melted butter.
- Sprinkle some sugar (or the topping mixture) on the flat surface. Roll the surface of the dough gently through the topping mixture, pressing gently to help the toppings stick. This step also helps to level the dough. You can sprinkle more sugar over the chimney cake as you like. Ensure all sides are covered evenly.
- If using cinnamon sugar, mix them in a bowl. Then sprinkle the mix over the chimney cakes. You can also blend cinnamon, sugar, and ground walnuts.
- Place the rolling pins with chimney cakes on top of a deeper tray. The handles should rest on the edges of the tray, so the chimney cakes do not touch the bottom of the tray. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the rolling pins on the other side. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until they brown slightly around the edges.
- Serve immediately plain or with a dipping sauce while still warm.