Czech trdlo bun
6 servings
60 minutes
On the Old Town Square in Prague there are almost more stalls with these buns than souvenir shops. Trdelniks spin over coals and their smell attracts crowds of tourists. Those who want to cook them in their own kitchen, instead of a special trdlo spit, have to use rolling pins, metal tubes and other simple devices. But the result is worth it.
1
Prepare a starter from yeast, a quarter cup of warm water, one teaspoon of flour, and one teaspoon of sugar. Place it in a warm place and let it rise (this will take about twenty to twenty-five minutes). Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
- Fresh yeast: 30 g
- Wheat flour: 650 g
- Fine white sugar: 6 tablespoons
2
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, pour into a deep bowl, and mix with milk and two yolks. Combine the mixture with the remaining flour and the yeast. Add a scant cup of sugar (leaving about a tablespoon for dusting) and salt.
- Butter: 100 g
- Milk: 1 glass
- Chicken egg: 2 pieces
- Wheat flour: 650 g
- Fine white sugar: 6 tablespoons
3
Knead the soft, elastic dough by hand. Place the bowl in a warm place, cover with a damp cloth, and let the dough rise at least twice.
- Wheat flour: 650 g
4
Divide the prepared dough into several equal parts and roll them all out, then cut each rolled part into long strips about 5 cm wide with a sharp knife.
5
Wrap each strip around the base overlapping. (At home, a rolling pin or thick cardboard tubes covered with foil can be used for this purpose.) Tuck the edge of the dough carefully.
6
Thoroughly brush the egg whites around the dough wrapped around the base with a culinary brush. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Chicken egg: 2 pieces
7
Make a mixture of ground nuts, a tablespoon of sugar, and cinnamon, pour it onto a flat plate and roll the dough in this mixture. Place the dough bases on a small baking tray and put them in the oven.
- Nuts: 100 g
- Fine white sugar: 6 tablespoons
- Cinnamon: 50 g
8
Bake the buns for about twenty minutes, turning the bases a couple of times to brown the dough on all sides. Remove the finished buns from the oven, let them cool slightly, and remove from the base. Place on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve hot.
- Fine white sugar: 6 tablespoons