The August Daring Bakers’ Challenge took us for a spin! Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen taught us to make rolled pastries inspired by Kurtoskalacs, a traditional Hungarian wedding pastry. These tasty yeasted delights gave us lots to celebrate!
Kürtőskalács or chimney cake is a traditional wedding pastry made in Transylvania (Romania) . The name comes from the shape of the cake, a strip of yeasted dough is wrapped around a spit. It is then rolled in granulated sugar and baked above charcoal cinders.
The end result is a chimney shaped cake with a caramelized, sugary, golden-brown exterior that crackles when you bite into it and a soft and chewy bread like strip interior. The contrast between the soft and crunchy, the fact that you have to unwind the chimney to eat it , all the different toppings you can use (think cinnamon, nuts or chocolate)makes these cakes simply irresistible.
Kürtőskalács /Chimney cake
Ingredients
For the dough:
1¾ cups (8½ oz) (240 gm) all-purpose (plain) flour
2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) (7 gm) active dry yeast OR 2 teaspoons instant yeast OR 14 gm (½ oz) fresh yeast
2 tablespoons (1 oz)(30 gm) sugar
1/8 teaspoon (3/4 gm) salt
1 large egg, room temperature
3 tablespoons (1½ oz) (45 gm) melted butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, lukewarm temperature
For baking/grilling:
melted butter
sugar
Cinnamon
Directions:
If you are using active dry yeast, add ½ teaspoon sugar to lukewarm milk and set aside for 5-10 minutes until it proofs (becomes foamy).You can use the other yeast types directly along with the flour.
In a large bowl combine, flour, sugar and salt. To this add egg, milk, melted butter, and yeast Stir the mixture until it comes together to form a dough, and then knead for about five minutes.
It will be sticky. Don’t be tempted to add any flour. Grease your hand if needed.
Transfer to a well greased container
Allow the dough to rise for 60 minutes at room temperature until doubled in volume
You need to prepare something to wrap the dough around, this can be a wooden rolling pin or cardboard rolls ( the ones you are left with after tin foil or wrapping paper runs out). Whatever you decide to use, cover it with multiple layers of aluminum foil, do at least two or three layers, to prevent them from burning in the oven.
Brush them with melted butter.
Punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal parts about 4 oz (115 gm) of each.
On a well floured surface spread one portion of the dough and shape into 1/6 inch (4 mm) thick square-shaped sheet.
Using a pizza cutter cut the dough into a long ribbons of about 1/2 inch (13 mm) wide.
Wrap one end of the dough strip around the spit/rolling pin, tucking in the end so the dough doesn’t unwind.
Keep the dough very thin (under ¼ inch (6 mm)) as you stretch and wind it on the rolling pun. Then roll the whole thing slightly on the counter top to flatten it/press it together.
Brush with melted butter
Roll in sugar
Place in roasting pan and bake in a preheated moderately hot oven 375°F/190⁰C/gas mark 5 for 25 minutes.
If using roast function (375⁰F/190⁰C) in the oven it will take about 20 minutes.
If you are grilling (broiling) over the fire cooking time is about six minutes, until it starts to take on a dark golden color. Turn the rolling pin at once least once (or more) throughout baking time to ensure uniform cooking.
When cake is done you can roll it in sugar again or you can brush more butter, then roll the finished cake in the toppings of your choice.
Tap the mold on a table top to release the cake and set it up right to cool.
Kürtőskalács /Chimney cake
Preparation time:dough 15 minutes, first rise: about an 1 hour
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
For the dough:
1¾ cups (8½ oz) (240 gm) all-purpose (plain) flour
2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) (7 gm) active dry yeast OR 2 teaspoons instant yeast OR 14 gm (½ oz) fresh yeast
2 tablespoons (1 oz)(30 gm) sugar
1/8 teaspoon (3/4 gm) salt
1 large egg, room temperature
3 tablespoons (1½ oz) (45 gm) melted butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, lukewarm temperature
For baking/grilling:
melted butter
sugar
Directions:
If you are using active dry yeast, add ½ teaspoon sugar to lukewarm milk and set aside for 5-10 minutes until it proofs (becomes foamy).
You can use the other yeast types directly along with the flour.
In a large bowl combine, flour, sugar and salt. To this add egg, milk, melted butter, and yeast Stir the mixture until it comes together to form a dough, and then knead for about five minutes.
It will be sticky. Don’t be tempted to add any flour. Grease your hand if needed.
Transfer to a well greased container
Allow the dough to rise for 60 minutes at room temperature until doubled in volume
Prepare the rolling pins by covering them with aluminum foil, do at least two or three layers, to protect the pins from burning in the oven.
Make sure to cover the rolling pins very well. Brush them with melted butter.
The risen dough after 60 minutes.
Punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal parts about 4 oz (115 gm) of each.
On a well floured surface spread one portion of the dough
Shape into 1/6 inch (4 mm) thick square-shaped sheet.
Using a pizza cutter cut the dough into a long ribbons of about 1/2 inch (13 mm) wide.
Wrap one end of the dough strip around the spit/rolling pin, tucking in the end so the dough doesn’t unwind.
Keep the dough very thin (under ¼ inch (6 mm)) as you stretch and wind it on the rolling pun. Then roll the whole thing slightly on the counter top to flatten it/press it together.
Brush with melted butter
Roll in sugar
Place in roasting pan and bake in a preheated moderately hot oven 375°F/190⁰C/gas mark 5 for 25 minutes.
If using roast function (375⁰F/190⁰C) in the oven it will take about 20 minutes.
If you are grilling (broiling) over the fire cooking time is about six minutes, until it starts to take on a dark golden color. Turn the rolling pin at once least once (or more) throughout baking time to ensure uniform cooking.
When cake is done roll it in sugar again
If you are using other toppings brush more butter, then roll the finished cake in the toppings of your choice.
Tap the mold on a table top to release the cake and set it up right to cool.
للعجين:
1¾ كوب (8 أوقية) (240 جم) طحين متعدد الاستعمالات
2 ملعقة شاي (7 جم) خميرة جافة نشطة أو 2 ملاعق صغيرة من الخميرة الفورية أو 14 غم الخميرة الطازجة
2 ملعقة طعام (1 أوقية) (30 جم) من السكر
1/8 ملعقة صغيرة (3/4 جم) ملح
1 بيضة كبيرة، درجة حرارة الغرفة
3 ملاعق كبيرة (1½ أوقية) (45 جم) زبده ذائبه
1/2 كوب (120 مل) من الحليب الدافئ
للخبز / الشوي:
زبده ذائبه
سكر
قرفه
الطريقة:
إذا كنتم تستخدمون الخميرة الجافة النشطة، أضيفوا ½ ملعقة صغيرة من السكر إلى الحليب الفاتر و ضعوه جانبا لمدة 5-10 دقائق حتى تظهر الفقاقيع
يمكنك استخدام أنواع الخميرة الأخرى مباشرة مع الطحين.
في وعاء كبير يجمع بين الدقيق والسكر والملح. ثم يضاف البيض والحليب والزبدة المذابة والخميرة و نعجن حتى يتماسك العجين.
سيكون العجين طريا و يلصق باليد..لا تقوموا باضافه المزيد من الدقيق. يجب ان يكون العجين بهذا القوام
ندهن وعاء بالزيت و نضع العجين فيه و نغطيه و نتركه ليتخمر مده ساعه حتى يتضاعف حجمه
نلف مرق عجين خشبي او رول ورقي بطبقتين او ثلاث من القصدير ثم ندهنه بالزبده..هذا سيكون المركز الذي سنلف عليه العجين.
بعد ان يتخمر العجين نقسمه الى 4 اقسام
نرش سطح العمل بالطحين و نرق جزءا من العجين حتى نحصل على دائره بسمك 4 مم
نقص العجين بشكل حلزوني كما في الصوره.ثم نلف العجين حول المرق الملفوف بالقصدير ثم ندهنها بالزبده و نغمسها بالسكر او في خليط من الزبده و السكر
نخبزها في الفرن على حراره375 درجة سيليزيه / علامة الغاز 5 لمدة 25 دقيقة.
بعد الخبز ندهن الكعكه بالزبده مجددا و نرشها او نغمسها بالسكر او باي خليط تحبونه
Chef in disguise 
