Instructions
1. Make the dough
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Cut in cold butter using fingertips or a pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly.
- Add sour cream and egg; mix until a dough forms.
- Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes (or overnight for deeper flavor).
2. Roll & cut
- Preheat oven to 200 °C / 400 °F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about ½ cm (¼ inch) thick.
- Cut into strips about 1 cm (½ inch) wide and 8–10 cm (3–4 inches) long.
3. Add cheese topping
- Place sticks on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush tops with beaten egg yolk.
- Sprinkle generously with shredded cheese.
4. Bake
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
5. Serve
- Cool slightly and enjoy warm or at room temperature. They keep well in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
Tips for Authentic Hungarian Flavor
- For a traditional taste, use Trappista cheese (Hungarian mild semi-hard cheese).
- Some recipes fold grated cheese into the dough as well as on top for double cheesiness.
- For extra flakiness, chill the cut sticks for 10 minutes before baking.
If you want, I can also share the “sós rudak” variation — a saltier, puff-pastry-like Hungarian cheese stick that’s even more buttery and melt-in-your-mouth. Would you like me to give you that one too?