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Chimney cake recipe

Chimney cake recipe

24 ratings

Originally a traditional Hungarian street food snack, this chimney cake has a crisp exterior covered in walnut sugar, and is pillowy soft inside. It's a great dish to serve at a Christmas party, or as an afternoon treat on the big day itself. See method

  • Serves 8
  • 1 hr 10 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook
  • 501 calories / serving

Ingredients

  • 7g dried yeast
  • 400g plain flour
  • 40g caster sugar
  • 1 large egg, lightly whisked
  • 200ml whole milk
  • 120g butter, at room temperature plus 40g butter, melted
  • 50g caster sugar

For the walnut sugar

  • 80g walnuts, blitzed to grounds in a food processor
  • 80g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    1680kj
    501kcal     25%

  • Fat

    26g 37%

  • Saturates

    12g 58%

  • Sugars

    25g 27%

  • Salt

    0.2g 3%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 62.7g Protein 8.3g Fibre 2.2g

Method

  1. Mix the yeast in a large bowl with the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt until well combined. Add the egg, milk and butter and bring together to form a wet dough using your hands.
  2. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 mins until a smooth and elastic ball has formed. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a piece of clingfilm and let it rise in a warm place for an hour, or until doubled in size.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C, and prepare your rolling pin and walnut sugar. Tear two sheets of tin foil four inches longer than your rolling pin and wrap both sheets around the pin, turning the end pieces so that the rolling pin is entirely covered. If you have two rolling pins then repeat on the second. Brush the foiled rolling pins in melted butter, save the rest of this butter for later on. Mix the ground walnuts, sugar and cinnamon together in a tray that is long enough to fit your rolling pin.
  4. Remove the dough from the bowl and roll it out in a square roughly 45x45cm in size and ½cm thick. Cut the dough into 3cm wide strips using a pizza cutter or knife. Starting from one end of the rolling pin, wrap one strip around the length of the rolling pin, overlapping slightly like a helter skelter. When the strip runs out, add another one to it, pushing the ends of dough together to bind them. Once the length of the rolling pin is covered roll the rolling pin on the surface to ensure the dough is well attached to the pin. Brush all over with melted butter and sprinkle the caster sugar on every side too. Repeat with the second rolling pin if you have one.
  5. Pop the rolling pin on to a baking tray in the hot oven and cook for 20 mins, turning every 3 minutes, so that the sugar fully dissolves and it bakes evenly, until it turns a consistent golden-brown colour.
  6. Remove from the oven, brush with the remaining melted butter and roll in the walnut sugar. Slide off the rolling pin and carefully snap in half. Repeat with the second pin so you are left with four coils of Chimney Cake!

Tip: These keep in an airtight container but are best eaten straight away while still warm.

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