Trdelník

Warm about a cup of Whole Milk until just lukewarm and stir in a teaspoon of Granulated Sugar and the packet of Instant Dry Yeast; let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.

In a large bowl whisk together 3 to 4 cups of All-Purpose Flour, a pinch of Fine Salt, and the zest of a Lemon Zest.

Make a well in the flour, then add the foamy yeast-milk, the Egg Yolks, a splash of Vanilla Extract, and softened Unsalted Butter; mix until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic, then place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size (about 1–1.5 hours).

Once risen, punch down the dough and divide it into 8–10 equal pieces; roll each piece into a long rope about 12–14 inches long and wrap snugly but not overlapping onto prepared wooden dowels or greased rolling pins.

Brush each wrapped rope generously with melted Unsalted Butter and roll or sprinkle them in a shallow mixture of remaining Granulated Sugar and Ground Cinnamon so the coating adheres.

Bake the wrapped dough on a parchment-lined sheet in a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 12–18 minutes, turning once or twice, until evenly golden and caramelized — alternatively cook over a grill or open flame, rotating until done.

Remove the trdelník while still warm from the spit, brush with a little more butter if you like, and roll in chopped Walnuts so they stick to the surface.

Slide the pastry off the spit, let cool slightly, then serve warm as-is or split and fill with ice cream, whipped cream, or jam for a decadent treat.