Eating Like a Local: Warm, Crispy and Hearty special sweets from Slovakia

A landlocked country in central Europe, bordered by some of the most prolific countries that were the centres of dessert innovations, Slovakia, surprisingly has humble desserts that use a lot of gluten, fruits, it's jams, and cakes that are fun to look at and eat. From chimney cakes made on a rotating spit to sweet pastries, Slovakia has some of the most deceptively simple special sweets in its repertoire. 

1. Skalický trdelník

A hollow pastry that is made similarly to spit cakes, and the Hungarian Kürtőskalács, or chimney cakes, these come from the Northwest part of Slovakia close to the Czech Republic border in Skalica. This dessert has a Hungarian connection too and records show that a Hungarian general was in Skalica with a companion who was a Transylvania chef. He knew how to make this dessert and how to cook it on the roller called the “trdlo”. The dough goes on the roller and then gets a wash of egg whites, with chopped walnuts, almonds and apricots sprinkled on it. It's baked while the spit is rotated and sprinkled with vanilla sugar. They are sold by street vendors in the country and also in the Czech Republic mostly during fairs. 

2. Žemlovka

This dessert is made with sliced bread or bread rolls soaked in vanilla-flavoured milk, that sandwiches a layer of fruits in between. It uses a filling of cinnamon apples, peaches, pears, or plums. Sometimes raisins or quark cheese are also used in the filling and topped with meringue. It's traditionally enjoyed warm but it tastes equally good when chilled. 

3. Kokosové ježe

Considered to be similar to the Australian Lamingtons, these are from Croatia and are also popular in Slovakia and the neighbouring countries. It's a sponge cake, cut into cubes that are dipped in chocolate and coated in coconut flakes. They stay well in any climate and don't dry out quickly. Fruit jams aren't used in this variety unlike the Southern lamingtons and it can be mostly found during Christmas. 

4. Šišky

Fried dough or doughnuts that are descendants of the German Krapfen, Šišky are made with a yeast-rich dough or baking powder with flour that is deep fried until golden with a soft inside and crisp outside. They are usually prepared plain but sometimes topped with jams, vanilla or even chocolate custard. A drizzle of chocolate syrup or powdered sugar is also common. It's a common carnival food and the sweet versions are more common today than the plain savoury ones. 

5. Koláče

Also known as kolache, it's a sweet pastry roll which might look like mini pizzas, with a topping of plum jam, cheese or poppy seeds. Instead of the plum jam, it might also use fruits like cherries, blueberries, apricots, lemon, pineapple or raisins. The name of the dessert comes from the word “kola” meaning wheels which refers to the round shape of this dessert. It comes from the Czech Republic, first made in the 1700s, where its shape is said to denote the sun and the moon; Slovakia being its neighbour also picked it up soon after. 

6. Makovník

A poppy seed roll, made with a poppy seed roll added between layers of prepared dough, Makovník also might have raisins, almonds, grated orange peel and sweetened with subtle flavour of honey. When the roll is cut it shows a distinct dark swirl of the paste within the baked golden roll. It's often dusted with powdered sugar and eaten with tea or coffee and is a popular dessert during the winter, especially Christmas. You will find this roll in most central European countries going by different names. 

7. Laskonky

These are meringue cookies made with whipped egg whites and sugar with a buttercream filling in different flavours, usually caramel but coffee or chocolate are also popular. Like most meringues, this one also contains nuts – walnuts that are ground and added to the meringue, it is sometimes substituted with coconut and baked to form thin cookies. They are crispy and delicious and sold in most local pastry shops sometimes with a cup of coffee. 

8. Rýžový nákyp

A local rice pudding that is often eaten as a main course, right after an appetising bowl of soup. It's made with rice cooked in milk that combines egg yolks, sugar, butter, and vanilla. This is mixed with fruits and then topped with whipped egg whites and baked to set the pudding. The fruits usually used are cherries or peaches that go into the pudding layers.