(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...Czech Chimney Cake is a beloved Central European pastry made from yeasted dough wrapped around a wooden spit, slow-roasted, and rolled in cinnamon sugar and chopped walnuts. The hollow tube creates a crisp caramelized crust with a soft, pillowy interior that crackles with each bite.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time50 mins
Servings4
Yield4 chimney cakes
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 485 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 9 gSaturated Fat
- 63 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 28 gSugar
- 8 gProtein
- 180 mgSodium
- 195 mgPotassium
- 85 mgCalcium
- 3 mgIron
- 1 mgVitamin C
- 260 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the dough
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 7 g active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 180 ml whole milk, warmed to 38°C (100°F)
- 40 g unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the coating
- 80 g unsalted butter, melted
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 100 g walnuts, finely chopped
Directions
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk with 1 teaspoon of the sugar; let stand 5 to 8 minutes until foamy on the surface.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture, egg yolk, melted butter, and vanilla; stir until a soft dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion on a lightly floured surface into a long rope about 1 cm thick and 50 cm long.
- Brush each wooden spit (or foil-wrapped wooden dowel, 4 to 5 cm diameter) with melted butter. Wrap a dough rope around each spit in overlapping spirals, covering the entire length evenly.
- Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a shallow bowl and place the chopped walnuts in a second shallow bowl. Brush each wrapped cake generously with melted butter, then roll first in the cinnamon sugar, then in the walnuts, pressing gently to adhere.
- Mount the spits on a heat-safe holder or balance them across the rims of a deep oven tray. Bake in a preheated 200°C (400°F) oven for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 3 to 4 minutes, until deeply golden and the sugar caramelizes.
- Carefully slide the baked cakes off the spits while still warm. For an extra-crisp crust, dust with additional cinnamon sugar before serving.
- Serve immediately while warm, either whole as a hand-held pastry or sliced into rings. They pair beautifully with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a drizzle of melted chocolate.
Cook’s Notes
- Traditional trdelníky are made over open coals on a slowly rotating spit; for home ovens, use wooden dowels wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum foil and turn them regularly for even browning.
- Do not let the dough rise too long the second time, or it will shrink away from the spit during baking and lose its shape.
- For a richer flavor and softer crumb, substitute half of the milk with full-fat sour cream or kefir.
- Toast the walnuts lightly in a dry pan before chopping to intensify their flavor and help them stick better to the buttered dough.
- Leftover cakes are best revived by warming in a 160°C oven for 4 to 5 minutes to restore the crisp caramelized crust.
