Spit cake (Kürtőskalács)

This Hungarian tube-shaped pastry popularly known as chimney cake traces its origin to the medieval era Székely Land—back then a part of the Kingdom of Hungary. The first known recipe titled Kürtős kaláts’ à la Mrs Poráni was found in a 1784 cookbook written by Transylvanian countess Mária Mikes de Zabola.

The pastry shells are made from sweet yeast dough that is rolled in granulated sugar, basted in melted butter, and spit-roasted over charcoal. Freshly baked, kürtőskalács shells can be topped with additional ingredients such as ground walnuts or powdered cinnamon, but they're also often filled with ice cream or whipped cream.

Kürtőskalács was once a festive treat favored by the Hungarian upper class, but over time it spread among the common people and became a part of everyday consumption, readily available as a street snack, and a big hit at festivals or similar outdoor events. An almost identical but slightly smaller Czech version of this sweet pastry goes under the name trdelník.

Though it is highly disputed where it originally appeared, the pastry has undoubtedly become a vital part of Czech and Hungarian street food culture. Slovakian version, known as Skalický trdelník holds a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status under the EU law.