Kurtosh kalach: history, features and cooking method

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Kurtosh kalach is a word unfamiliar to many. But very interesting and curious. Perhaps some of the readers are already familiar with the pastries that hide under this intricate name. And someone may hear it for the first time. In any case, we present to the attention of all lovers of sweet and unusual pastries Hungarian kurtosh kalach!

Meaning of the name

Otherwise it can be called "Hungarian twisted kalach". This is a favorite pastry of Hungarians. The name comes from the Hungarian kürtőskalács - pipe and kalach, if translated literally. This name is associated with the traditional way of cooking. The dough was wound on a hot pipe and baked like that. Now the pipes have been replaced by special skewers, but the tradition of baking the Hungarian kurtosh kalach on an open fire has remained. Due to the interesting way of baking, kalach has a rather interesting shape.

Hungarian delicacy history

Kurtosh Kalach is a traditional pastry of the Romanian Hungarians of Transylvania. Not a single one could do without it and does not dofestivities, no fair. The first mention of kurtosh kalach in history falls on the 15th century. Then it was about the dough, wound in a spiral on a skewer and baked on an open fire.

In the 16th century there was a division. Kurtosh kalach, baumkuhen, trdelnik and some other names and interpretations appeared. Over time, the kalach recipe began to spread, appeared already in countries far from Transylvania and thus became known to quite a few. At the same time, various chefs and confectioners experimented and modified the original recipe for the Hungarian kalach. So, today the technology has become traditional, according to which the dough wound on a skewer began to be pumped. Thus, the finished baking looks smooth and elegant.

Kurtosh Kalach these days

In the 21st century, when the World Wide Web tightly connects every corner of the planet, learning about the Hungarian dessert is much easier. As in ancient times, now kurtosh kalach remains the same conductor of both Hungarian and Romanian festivities, as well as various kinds of fairs and festivals far beyond Transylvania.

As a rule, for such events, entrepreneurs have campers that are convenient to carry from city to city. In addition, you can often find a special oven for kurtosh kalach. Its main attributes are special skewers, on which the dough itself is wound. Such ovens greatly simplify the cooking process, which, as a rule, does not take more than 10minutes. Therefore, there is a charm in buying kurtosh kalach at some fair and enjoying fresh and hot pastries.

Filling and other features

There is a great variety of various fillings for kurtosh kalach. The recipe can offer a variety of options, ranging from sugar and cinnamon to caramel and coconut.

Since the dough itself is not very sweet, you can experiment with different jams, toppings and spices. An interesting "feature" of the Hungarian kalach is its shape. It is always baked on a pipe or other cylindrical object, so it remains empty inside. A thin crispy crust forms on top, and the inside is very soft and tender.

Home cooking tricks

Unfortunately, this most interesting pastry is very rare in Russia, and if it is found, it is mainly in big cities. Going on a gastronomic tour of Transylvania may not be for everyone. Therefore, here is good news for lovers of home baking - you can cook kurtosh kalach yourself! The recipe will be described step by step below, but for now it is worth paying attention to some of the nuances associated with its preparation. More precisely, one big nuance - what to wind the dough on?

The most common option is a rolling pin (as a precaution, it is recommended to use the one that is not a pity). First, it must be wrapped in foil, and greased with oil on top or coveredparchment. The whole point is that during baking the dough does not touch the surface. Therefore, a baking sheet is usually used, on the walls of which the rolling pin handles are placed, and thus it "hangs" in the air.

For those who don't like the rolling pin option, there is another way. You can use parchment paper and kitchen towels. But since by themselves they cannot be put on the walls of the baking sheet, then along the edges you need to make small longitudinal cuts along the thickness of the walls. The sleeve is also wrapped in foil.

Cooking Hungarian kalach

To prepare the dough you will need:

• 100g butter;
• 6 yolks;
• 11g instant yeast;
• 350 g flour;
• 140 g sugar or powdered sugar;
• 100-120ml milk;
• s alt to taste.

We breed yeast in warm milk, following the instructions on the package. Then pour them into the melted butter, add the yolks, sugar and s alt here, mix well.

Sift the flour and gradually stir into the resulting mixture. Knead the dough and put it away for a couple of hours in a warm place, covered with a towel.

During this time, it will infuse and increase by about two times. After this time, the dough must be well mashed, and then proceed to the formation of sausages.

They should be long and not too thick. It is convenient to first roll the dough into a large cake, and then cut one long sausage in a spiral. Carefully wind the sausages on a pre-oiled or coveredparchment rolling pin.

Now choose the filling. For example, it can be a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Carefully roll the rolling pin with the dough in the filling, put it on a baking sheet and let it brew for another 15 minutes. Baking takes place at a temperature of 170-180 degrees for 15 minutes. But since everyone's ovens are different, it will not be superfluous to control this process. That's it, homemade Hungarian kalács is ready to serve!

Kurtosh kalach is a simple and very tasty dish. In addition, there is always the opportunity to dream up and come up with something of your own. These pastries will be a great addition to both a festive table and an ordinary family breakfast.