Trdelník

Trdelník (Czech Spit-Roasted Sweet Pastry)

A traditional Moravian and Slovak sweet pastry wound around a wooden spit, baked until crisp, and rolled in cinnamon sugar and almonds. Note: traditional preparation uses a rotisserie spit over open coals; this home-kitchen version adapts the method to a stovetop or oven.

Prep

30 min

Cook

25 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (8.8 oz) all-purpose flour
• •7 g (2¼ tsp) instant dry yeast, or 15 g fresh yeast
• •40 g (3 tbsp) granulated sugar
• •120 ml (½ cup) whole milk, lukewarm, about 38°C / 100°F
• •1 whole (1 large) egg yolk
• •40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for brushing
• •1 g (¼ tsp) fine salt
• •80 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing the dough
• •100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar, for the coating
• •15 g (1 tbsp) ground cinnamon, for the coating
• •60 g (½ cup) sliced almonds, finely chopped, or crushed walnuts; mixed into coating

Steps

1. 1 In a small bowl, whisk the yeast with 1 tsp of the sugar and a splash of the lukewarm milk; let stand 5 minutes until foamy.
2. 2 In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolk, softened butter, and the rest of the milk. Mix, then knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic (the dough should not stick). Cover and let rise 45–60 minutes, until nearly doubled.
3. 3 Punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal pieces (about 110 g each). On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a rope about 1 cm (⅜ in) thick and 40–50 cm (16–20 in) long.
4. 4 For the spit: wrap each rope spirally around a wooden rolling pin, a clean dowel, or a flat metal skewer, leaving small gaps between the coils so heat can penetrate. Pinch the ends to seal.
5. 5 Mix the coating sugar with cinnamon and chopped almonds on a wide plate.
6. 6 Brush the dough generously with melted butter, then roll the entire coated cylinder in the cinnamon-sugar-almond mix, pressing so the nuts adhere. Repeat on all sides.
7. 7 Home-kitchen cooking - oven method (closest substitute for the spit): Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Rest the coated cylinders on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (this mimics airflow around a spit). Bake 15–20 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp; the internal crumb should read above 88°C / 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. Optional: finish 2 minutes under the broiler for extra browning - watch closely.
8. 8 Home-kitchen cooking - stovetop method (more traditional): Hold the dowel over medium heat (or over a gas flame), turning constantly with tongs and basting with butter as you go, for 12–15 minutes until evenly golden and crisp throughout. Then roll in the cinnamon-sugar-almond coating.
9. 9 Slide the warm pastry off the spit onto a board, let rest 2 minutes, then cut into 3–4 cm (1¼–1½ in) pinwheels. Serve warm, plain or dusted with extra cinnamon sugar.
10. 10 Doneness cue: the crust must be deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped; if the dough looks pale or soft in the seams, return to the oven for 2–3 minutes more.