Budapest now has its own chimney cake and it is like the capital itself: colourful, green, fun, cosmopolitan. It's enjoying a renaissance among tourists, but the makers say it's now taken quality to a new level. Can't wait to try it? If you're in town this weekend, we've got great news: on 20 and 21 April, everyone can taste the special dessert at St Stephen's Basilica.

What do we know about Budapest's chimney cake?

"Budapest's chimney cake evokes the national colours: it features one of Hungary's best known trademarks, its number one drink, Unicum, a little bit of passion fruit ice cream and blueberries, but it also contains summer, talent, hard work and kindness. The traditional chimney cake, made by our grandmothers, is made entirely by hand from a simple dough. We still make it by hand and bake it on charcoal to this day, just as they did in the old days. We also stick to the tradition of letting the dough rest for at least 6 hours before baking it into a loaf. When we visit Transylvania, we never miss a chance to taste some local blueberries, which are also part of our tradition. That's why we wanted to include this element in Budapest's chimney cake," said Norbert Korolovszki, founding owner of Kürtős Legenda, the company behind this special dessert.

Their aim is to restore the festive character of this sweet treat. "Our whole winter has been about creating this refreshing summer speciality. We were able to find an ice cream - from a Hungarian maker - that we could identify with and that could be paired with our product. We plan to ask for a blessing on our cakes, and with the location near the Basilica we also aim to restore the dignity of the traditional chimney cakes that has been lost in recent times," says Norbert Korolovszki. 

Taste it for free at St. Stephen's Basilica

Budapest's chimney cake will be presented in the shop opening at the Basilica on 20 and 21 April, and will later be available for tasting at the Fisherman's Bastion.

The first 100 to 100 chimney cakes will be given away on Sunday and Monday mornings at 10am, and there will also be chimney cakes decorated in gold to add to the festive atmosphere.  

Budapest's chimney cakes are called the dessert of the summer, and with good reason: they will be available until the end of September.

Source and photos: Kürtős Legenda