Hungarian chimney cakes arrive in Malaga: where to try the city’s newest sweet treat

Sisters Paulina and Daniela Coronado first tried kürtőskalács or 'chimney cake' while on a trip to Poland. They fell in love with this traditional Hungarian sweet treat and decided that it would be the star of the menu at their future café.

Their dream came true and now they offer the chimney cake in two sizes and with a variety of toppings at Kurtos & Coffee on Calle Calderón de la Barca, in the heart of Malaga's city centre.

The 27-year-old Coronado sisters are originally from Colombia, but they have been living in Malaga for over a decade. Although they studied biology and worked at a laboratory, they didn't feel fulfilled. They wanted something of their own.

Opening a café was their dream, but they didn't want it to be like any other establishment. "We were looking for something different and we saw that these sweets were not made here, so we took the plunge because we loved them," they say.

It didn't happen overnight. After several months of trial and error, Paulina and Daniela Coronado hit the nail on the head.

Although the recipe consists of the most typical dessert ingredients (eggs, milk and flour), the cylinder-shaped cake requires certain atmospheric conditions to be perfect. The Coronado sisters adapted it to Malaga's conditions and humidity, while maintaining the essence.

The chimney cakes the two café owners make come in two sizes, one at 3.50 euros and the other at 4.50 euros. They bake them in a special oven. They offer the typical sugar and cinnamon coating or a vanilla and grated coconut version.

For an extra 50 cents, customers can add almonds, lotus biscuits or walnuts, or pistachio for an extra euro.

Another extra are the toppings: rims covered in nutella, dulce de leche or white chocolate. For an even fuller experience, the otherwise empty cylinder can be filled with custard, ice cream or fruit.

Paulina and Daniela Coronado make them on the spot, so customers have to wait a bit - no more than five minutes. "Some people prefer them cold and take them to eat later or the next day," the sisters say.

While the chimney cake is the star of the menu, they also offer brownies, cookies and carrot cake, as well as matcha tea and Santa Roaster speciality coffee.

The Coronado sister's next challenge is to create a surprising twist for Easter.