Barrington bakery cranks out Illinois' best donut, Buzzfeed says

BARRINGTON, Ill. (WLS) -- Usually when restaurants claim to be authentically European, it's an exaggeration - but not at the Heart of Europe Café in downtown Barrington.

Two sisters, Kasia Mierzejewska, 25, and Emilia Augustyn, 29, have brought Poland to our area. Two years ago they both had successful jobs in their Polish homeland, but they had a dream.

"I was working with a lot of people but then we decided to come over here and open our own small business," Kasia said.

That sure did happen and right now they are preparing their most popular item, something called a chimney cake or spring donut. It's made with their secret recipe dough and then a whole lot of tender loving sweet, sweet care. On a busy day you might have to wait an hour for one of these.

Kasia and Emilia opened their shop 15 months ago and everything was going great. Then, three months ago, Buzzfeed rated donuts all over the country and they said that this shop is No. 1 in Illinois.

"I got it from my grandma. She was, ah, an excellent baker. That's what we brought here," Emilia said.

The chimney cakes are covered with and drowned in our earth's most wonderful sweets. On a weekend morning they will sell over a hundred of these year-round creations. But how they do it all is a secret.

"Friendship, with my sister. That's how we do it," Kasia said.

The chimney cakes cost $6.50 a piece. Consider it an investment in the future of your belly.