Kurtoskalacs, chimney cake, is a spiral of yeasted dough wrapped around a wooden spit, rolled in sugar, and cooked slowly over open heat until the outside caramelizes into a crisp, striped shell around a soft, hollow center. It's one of Hungary's oldest recorded pastries, with written references dating back centuries in Transylvanian communities, and it's still cooked on rotating spits at markets and fairs today.
The name comes from its shape, kurto meaning chimney, since the finished pastry is a hollow cylinder open at both ends, closer in structure to a chimney flue than to any Western cake or bread.
What Actually Matters
The dough has to be wound onto the spit as a thin, slightly overlapping ribbon and rotated constantly and slowly over the heat source, never left stationary for more than a second or two. Even, continuous rotation is what caramelizes the sugar into an even, cracked shell instead of burning one side while the other stays pale.
Kurtoskalacs (Hungarian Chimney Cake) Recipe
Serves 4. Prep time: 20 minutes plus 1 hour rising. Cook time: 20 minutes. Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 3/4 cup for coating
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional, for coating
Method
- In a small bowl, stir the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar into the warm milk. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, eggs, and melted butter. Mix and knead for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, until doubled.
- Wrap four small wooden rolling pins or metal cones (about 1.5 inches in diameter) in foil and brush lightly with butter.
- Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into a long rope and wind it in a spiral around a prepared spit, overlapping the edges slightly.
- Roll each wrapped spit in the 3/4 cup sugar (mixed with cinnamon if using) until evenly coated.
- Cook over a grill, open flame, or under a broiler, rotating constantly and continuously, until the sugar caramelizes to a deep golden brown and cracks slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, then gently twist and slide the pastry off the spit.
| Nutrition (per serving, estimated) | |
|---|---|
| Calories | 390 |
| Protein | 8g |
| Fat | 9g |
| Carbohydrates | 68g |
These values are a calculated estimate for planning purposes, not a lab-verified figure.
Tips, Variations, and Storage
If you do not have a spit, a well greased, foil wrapped rolling pin held and rotated by hand over low broiler heat works as a substitute. Keep the rotation slow and constant rather than fast, an even, unhurried spin caramelizes the sugar more evenly than a quick one. Eat kurtoskalacs the day it's made, the shell softens quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need special equipment to make this?
A rotating spit is traditional, but a well greased, foil wrapped rolling pin turned by hand over a broiler or grill works at home.
Why does my sugar coating burn in spots?
Uneven rotation. Keep the spit turning slowly and constantly so no one section sits over the heat for too long.
Can I fill the hollow center?
Yes, modern versions are often filled with ice cream or whipped cream after baking, though the traditional pastry is served plain.
How is this different from a cinnamon roll?
The dough is wound around a spit and cooked over open heat rather than baked in a pan, which produces a hollow shape and a caramelized, cracked shell instead of a soft, glazed top.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes, refrigerate the risen dough overnight and bring it to room temperature before rolling and winding it onto the spit.
More From Wine Drop Cookery
Find more of this pantry on the Hungary recipes hub. This dish pairs naturally with Langos (Hungarian Fried Dough Bread), which Hungary's other iconic fried and fair food classic, and links to Dobos Torte, which a more formal Hungarian dessert built on a different caramel technique. For the gear this cuisine leans on, see pots, pans, and cookware and kitchen essentials.
I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.
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