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:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-72742660-56c248175f9b5829f86800b0.jpg "These Schmalzkuchen German Doughnut Holes Will Melt in Your Mouth (1)")
Prep: 40 mins
Cook: 3 mins
Total: 43 mins
Servings: 48 servings
Yield: 4 dozen donuts
34 ratings
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Walk through any of the street fairs in Germany and you will be met by the aroma of little German doughnuts known as schmalzkuchen(literally "lard cake"). These delightful pastries are made with a lemon- and vanilla-flavored yeast dough that is fried into golden puffs. Because the dough contains no sugar, the vendors liberally sprinkle confectioners' sugar over the hot-from-the-fryer pastries.
Traditional at wintertime festivals, especially in Northern Germany, these delightful treats can also be made at home for the family. Although the classic recipe doesn't include any sugar, this recipe calls for 3 tablespoons to please the American palate. Eat them within a few hours of frying because, like most homemade doughnuts, they quickly become stale.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out dough
1/2 cup (125 milliliters) milk, warmed
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar, or an additional tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 inches oil, for deep-frying
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Place the flour in a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour the warm milk into the well, sprinkle the yeast on top, and add a pinch of the sugar. Stir the milk a little, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.
When the milk mixture begins to foam, add the egg, the remaining granulated sugar, the vanilla sugar, butter, lemon zest, and salt. Mix with a large spoon, or in an electric mixer with a dough hook, until the dough comes together to form a ball. Add a little more flour, if needed.
Knead the dough until a soft, smooth ball can be formed. Grease or oil the ball, place in a small container and let rise, covered, for 20 minutes or so. (The dough will rise slightly.)
Lightly flour a cutting board and pat the dough into a rectangle. Roll out into 1/2-inch (1-centimeter) thick. Using a pizza cutter or bench knife, cut the dough into rectangles (or diamonds), roughly 1 x 1 1/2 inches (2 x 3 centimeters).
Heat 2 inches of oil in a stockpot or other large, deep saucepan. (If you are using a deep-fat fryer, follow manufacturer's instructions.) The oil should be heated to 365 F. Use a deep-fat fry thermometer to check.
Fry the donuts in 4 to 5 batches for 1 1/2 minutes, or until the underside turns golden brown. Turn them (only once!) and fry for an additional 1 1/2 minutes until golden brown on the other side.
Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels or a brown paper bag.
Sift confectioners' sugar over the top and eat while still warm.
Enjoy!
Tips
- In order to achieve success when making doughnuts, there are a few things you need to keep in mind while frying. First, make sure you use a pot that is large enough; when you drop the doughnuts into the pot, the oil will rise, so if the pan isn't big enough, the oil will splatter all over the stove. You also need to maintain the oil's temperature—when you add the dough, the temperature of the oil will drop, so you need to raise the heat a little. The best method for keeping the oil at optimal frying temp is using a deep-fry thermometer.
- The last step to perfect doughnuts is allowing them to drain well; commercially made doughnuts will use a two- or three-step process, which you can somewhat simulate in your own kitchen. First, use a slotted spoon or small strainer to lift the doughnuts out of the oil, allowing the oil to drip. Then place on paper towels to absorb excess oil, and finally place the doughnuts on a cooling rack to further dry out before dusting with sugar or glazing.
- German Desserts
- Desserts
- European Food
- German Food
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 54 | Calories |
| 4g | Fat |
| 5g | Carbs |
| 1g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 48 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 54 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 4g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 3% |
| Cholesterol 5mg | 2% |
| Sodium 18mg | 1% |
| Total Carbohydrate 5g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 1g | |
| Protein 1g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 5mg | 0% |
| Iron 0mg | 1% |
| Potassium 11mg | 0% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Recipe Tags:
- Doughnuts
- breakfast
- german
- christmas
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