Looking to revive long forgotten memories or just longing for new ones? Let’s try this chimney cake that turns every memory a good one!
Most of us know the feeling when a highly anticipated piece of art doesn’t come out of the oven as it was expected. The disappointment, the powerlessness over the situation can overwhelm our feelings and we could beat the butter out of that miserable thing with the baking pin (if it wasn’t made of marble, of course).
Instead, we just burst into tears and scrape the remnants off the floor and find somebody to vent our anger out quickly. If we had a chimney cake right there and then (or an eat everything up solution like a hubby, kids, dogs…) we could air our frustration out easily.
But chimney cakes are actually not one of those things that come around easily, unfortunately. These are rather the ones that induce tears and require commitment to make. Given that we haven’t ordered a chimney cake making kit from AliExpress for a trifling $700.
It’s totally worth the price if we plan to make chimney cakes 24/7 and sell them for a lovely profit but only to provide a little excitement on one of the boring BBQ parties, it’s hardly a price to pay.
Unfortunately, it seems that China hasn’t yet caught up with the chimney cake frenzy the world is feverish about, and it’s pretty hard to get chimney cake pins delivered to our front doors.
We can, of course, pick up a couple of these tools for an outrageously small amount of money if we are willing to travel where chimney cakes are originated from. It may sound a ridiculously lame travel reason to sell for our future travel companions that we want to go to Europe to pick up a couple of sticks for baking so let just these things sit on the side note of our mental notebook.
Mind to pick the right countries beforehand as it seems that not all countries are part of Europe anymore and even those which are part of Europe not fully behold the greatness of chimney cake yet.
It’s slowly spiraling into all the countries though which prompted to be protected by the same word of law that protects Italian Parmesan cheese or French Bordeaux wine. Not like anyone would name his own creation of the dessert to unpronounceable Kurtoskalacs but still if someone wants the real deal, Hungary is the place to get it.
More precisely Transylvania which is a part of Romania now with significant Hungarian population and some historical disagreements that we are not diving into.
As it is with a plenty of other European food, no country was so clever to develop their cuisine in isolation (except maybe the Brits did with the Fish and Chips) hence there are many similarities yet considered traditional to each nation.
So when we cue in Prague for Ice cream filled Trdelnik at one of the popular tourist spots, don’t be surprised getting similar Kurtoskalacs that we would get in Hungary or Transylvania, except it is filled with goodies and is not covered with it.
Chimney cakes are traditionally covered with crushed walnut and sugar but we are going to omit sugar and use honey as a much healthier and natural sweetener. Any other sweetener can be used, mixed with a wide variety of different ingredients like shredded almond or coconut, ground cinnamon or cocoa.
For those who aren’t willing to discover the real dwelling of Dracula, ride 5 horses at once or indulge in cheap beer while hunting for chimney cake pins, there is still a pretty easy way to make chimney cakes with a help of tin cans.
A long tin can, like the 25FL ones would do that, as it is able to withstand the heat of the oven without poisoning us with plastic or paint. If desired a sheet of tin foil can be wrapped around the can to make sure no paint contaminates the food and we are set to roll.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ½ cup / 260g Milk
- 1 tablespoon / 10g Fresh yeast
- 5 cups / 600g Flour
- 5 tablespoons / 70g Butter (unsalted, room temperature)
- 3 medium / 60g Egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon / 15g Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon /3g Salt
Cover
- ½ cup Honey or sweetener of choice (traditionally sugar)
- Optional
- Walnut (crushed)
- Cinnamon (ground)
- Coconut (flakes)
- Almond (crushed or flakes)
How to make Chimney cake
Chimney cake sticks – Grannystyle
- Dissolve fresh yeast in lukewarm milk.
- In a medium size mixing bowl add flour, butter, vanilla extract and the eggs.
- Pour yeasty milk on top of the flour mixture and start to work everything together.
- Add the salt then knead it until it’s even and the dough is off the side of the mixing bowl.
- Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for an hour to raise.
- While we are waiting for the dough to double, get the chimney cake sticks ready by spreading some oil or melted butter on them. This is supposed to prevent the dough to stick down.
- After an hour, take the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface.
- Roll the dough out to about 1/2″ / 1.5cm height.
- Cut the rolled out dough up into ½” / 1.5cm stripes.
- Start rolling up the stripes onto the sticks.
- Rolling up the dough stripes needs a bit of practice. If we happen to mix together a softer dough, handling it will be a bit challenging which result less than optimal spirals.Just roll it gently on a lightly floured surface to even the surface up.
- Get the first batch ready for the oven.
- Brush or roll them with honey or sweetener of choice and place them into a 350°F / 180°C oven for about 15 – 20 minutes. Using sticks require the chimney cake to be rotated in the oven manually while we don’t have to bother with such things if we use cans that stand upright.
Just roll it gently on a lightly floured surface to even the surface up.
Assembly
- While the cakes are in the oven, prepare a tray with the desired covering.
- When the cakes are ready take them out then brush them with honey if necessary then immediately roll them into the prepared covering.
Enjoy!
— — —
Chimney cake cans – Freestyle
- Mix yeast and milk then knead flour, butter, vanilla extract, salt and the eggs.
- Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for an hour to raise. While we are waiting for the dough to double, get the cans or jars ready by emptying and cleaning them. Some like to cover them with tin foil but it’s not really necessary.
- After an hour, take the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface then roll the dough out to about 1/2″ / 1.5cm height. Cut the rolled out dough up into ½” / 1.5cm stripes.
- Start rolling up the stripes onto the cans.
- Rolling up the dough stripes needs a bit of practice. If we happen to mix together a softer dough, handling it will be a bit challenging which result less than optimal spirals.
- To even the surface up roll the can gently on a lightly floured surface.
- Get the first batch ready for the oven. Brushing it with honey or any liquid sweetener is not recommended as it will drip off in the oven. If any crystalized sweetener is used roll the chimney cakes in it now.
- Place them into a 350°F / 180°C oven for about 15 – 20 minutes.
- Brush them with honey or any liquid sweetener of choice.
Assembly
- While the cakes are in the oven, prepare the coverings. If liquid sweetener is used we don’t really need to spread out the coverings. If crystalized sweetener is used mix the sweetener with the spices. Also ground finely the nuts if any is used. Apply the covering either by simply sprinkling on the cake or roll them in the prepared covering.
- Take the chimney cake off the cans. We can use a simple knife to separate the cake from the can. Don’t take the cake off the can before adding the covering layer as it probably will fall apart.
- Pay attention to the bottom as that part tends to stick more then the top.
Enjoy!
Note: This recipe is a refined sugar free Chimney cake recipe. It uses honey as a natural sweetener but it can be substituted with any sweetener of choice.
Note: Air and flour humidity can greatly influence the outcome of the dough. Grannystyle chimney cake was made at over 60% humidity while the Freestyle chimney cake at about 20%.
Chimney cakes are a real treat but so are these cuties:
- Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe
- Sweet Rolls with Chocolate
- Braided Bread Recipe with Chocolate Filling
- Sugar Free Chocolate Swirl Bread with Raisins
F.A.Q.
What is a Chimney Cake?
A Chimney Cake is a traditional Hungarian pastry that consists of a sweet, spiral-shaped dough baked on a wooden cylinder. It is also known as Kürtőskalács or chimney cone due to its chimney-like appearance.
What flavors are available for Chimney Cakes?
Chimney Cakes come in a variety of flavors to cater to different tastes. Some popular flavors include cinnamon sugar, cocoa, vanilla, walnut, coconut, and even savory options like cheese or garlic.
Where did Chimney Cakes originate from?
Chimney Cakes have their origins in Hungary, where they have been a traditional pastry for centuries. They are often associated with Hungarian festivals and street fairs, where they are commonly sold.
How are Chimney Cakes typically served?
Chimney Cakes are typically served fresh and warm. They can be enjoyed on their own as a delightful snack or dessert. Alternatively, they can be filled with various sweet fillings such as ice cream, whipped cream, Nutella, or fruit preserves to enhance their taste.
Can Chimney Cakes be made at home?
Absolutely! Chimney Cakes can be made at home, although the process requires some skill and specific equipment, such as a wooden cylinder or a specialized Chimney Cake baking tool. However, it can be a fun and rewarding baking project for those who enjoy trying out new recipes.
Are Chimney Cakes gluten-free or vegan?
The traditional recipe for Chimney Cakes contains wheat flour, eggs, and dairy products, so they are not gluten-free or vegan by default. However, with some modifications and alternative ingredients, it is possible to create gluten-free or vegan versions of Chimney Cakes.
Where Chimney Cakes can be found?
Chimney Cakes are popular in Hungary and can be found at various festivals, markets, and specialty pastry shops in the country. They have also gained popularity in other parts of the world, and it’s possible to find them in certain bakeries or food establishments that specialize in Hungarian or European cuisine.
FitttZee
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Chimney Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ½ cups Milk
- 1 tablespoon Fresh yeast
- 5 cups Flour
- 5 tablespoon Butter unsalted, room temperature
- 3 Egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Cover
- ½ cup Honey or sweetener of choice
- Optional
- Walnut crushed
- Cinnamon ground
- Coconut flakes
- Almond crushed or flakes
Instructions
Chimney cake sticks - Grannystyle
- Dissolve 1 tablespoon Fresh yeast in lukewarm 1 ½ cups Milk.
- In a medium size mixing bowl add 5 cups Flour, 5 tablespoon Butter, 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract and 3 Egg yolks.
- Pour yeasty milk on top of the flour mixture and start to work everything together.
- Add ½ teaspoon Salt then knead it until it’s even and the dough is off the side of the mixing bowl.
- Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for an hour to raise.
- While we are waiting for the dough to double, get the chimney cake sticks ready by spreading some oil or melted butter on them. This is supposed to prevent the dough to stick down.
- After an hour, take the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface.
- Roll the dough out to about 1/2" / 1.5cm height.
- Cut the rolled out dough up into ½" / 1.5cm stripes.
- Start rolling up the stripes onto the sticks.
- Rolling up the dough stripes needs a bit of practice. If we happen to mix together a softer dough, handling it will be a bit challenging which result less than optimal spirals.Just roll it gently on a lightly floured surface to even the surface up.
- Get the first batch ready for the oven.
- Brush or roll them with honey or sweetener of choice and place them into a 350°F / 180°C oven for about 15 - 20 minutes. Using sticks require the chimney cake to be rotated in the oven manually while we don't have to bother with such things if we use cans that stand upright.
Assembly
- While the cakes are in the oven, prepare a tray with the desired covering.
- When the cakes are ready take them out then brush them with honey if necessary then immediately roll them into the prepared covering.
Chimney cake cans - Freestyle
- Mix yeast and milk then knead in flour, butter, vanilla extract, salt and the eggs.
- Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for an hour to raise. While we are waiting for the dough to double, get the cans or jars ready by emptying and cleaning them. Some like to cover them with tin foil but it’s not really necessary.
- After an hour, take the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface then roll the dough out to about 1/2" / 1.5cm height. Cut the rolled out dough up into ½" / 1.5cm stripes.
- Start rolling up the stripes onto the cans.
- Rolling up the dough stripes needs a bit of practice. If we happen to mix together a softer dough, handling it will be a bit challenging which result less than optimal spirals.
- To even the surface up roll the can gently on a lightly floured surface.
- Get the first batch ready for the oven. Brushing it with honey or any liquid sweetener is not recommended as it will drip off in the oven. If any crystalized sweetener is used roll the chimney cakes in it now.
- Place them into a 350°F / 180°C oven for about 15 - 20 minutes.
- Brush them with honey or any liquid sweetener of choice.
Assembly
- While the cakes are in the oven, prepare the coverings. If liquid sweetener is used we don't really need to spread out the coverings. If crystalized sweetener is used mix the sweetener with the spices. Also ground finely the nuts if any is used. Apply the covering either by simply sprinkling on the cake or roll them in the prepared covering.
- Take the chimney cake off the cans. We can use a simple knife to separate the cake from the can. Don't take the cake off the can before adding the covering layer as it probably will fall apart.
- Pay attention to the bottom as that part tends to stick more then the top.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin now, Enjoy later!
Heavenly. Thanks for the recipe, now I can make my own and don’t need to fly to Hungary.
Always happy to help! ;D
It states to add the honey with the flour butter eggs vanilla but in the recipe it doesn’t show honey or any sweetener that goes into the dough. Or am I missing something. ?
Thanks for pointing that out! It’s been corrected. If you like a sweeter dough you can add sugar, honey or sweetener of choice to the dough but it’s not necessary at all since the cakes will be rolled in sweet coating anyway.
I’m a little concerned, my dough came out very sticky to the point I cannot manage so I keep adding flour. What do you think I did wrong?
You didn’t do anything wrong. Due to the enriched nature of the dough, it is very soft and requires some patience and lot of love to manage. Depending on the flour’s initial moisture content we could end up something that dances on our nerves more than we like. Adding the milk incrementally allows us gauge the state of the dough and use less liquid if deemed necessary.
Coating the hands and the working surface with flour or even better with cooking oil will prevent the dough sticking to them.
Adding more flour to the soft dough works bringing down the flour – liquid ratio and it may help a bit managing the dough better but the dough’s softness is caused by the added fat (butter, egg yolk).