Berliner – German Carnival cakes (Doughnut without a hole)

Posted On March 16, 2011

Haha!. One of my long-awaited recipes in my list and finally, its time to be out during this Carnival Season. During February and March Carnival is celebrated in Europe. Berliner is the most popular theme food during Carnival Season. Nevertheless, it has its unique place in every bakery and it is a common selling thing. Like Bretzel, Berliner is a favorite of many children. Berliner is a soft, puffy fried doughnut, filled with Jam or Jelly. It is also called Krapfen or Pfannkuchen (pancakes) and has different names in other parts of Germany.

 Until a few months before, I was not aware that this is a fried bread because it is so soft and spongy and one can not find any traces of oil in it. The most interesting part of the bread is the stuffed jam. Every time I tasted the Berliner, I liked the soft jelly jam in it. I was wondering what was the jam inside as it always reminded me of the “Kissan mixed fruit jam” from India. One fine day, I asked the baker nearby, it was revealed to me that it is Himbeere Johannisbeer Gelee(Raspberry and Redcurrant Jelly). The next 5th minute, I got that from supermarket . The procedure is to make bread dough into small balls and allow them to rest till it gets double the size. Once it got that consistency, it’s fried in the oil on both sides. An important note is that the oil in pan should be just enough to fry only one half of the doughnut. This leaves a yellow ring in the middle, which looks nice. The doughnut floats on top of oil when it is being cooked. Also, it doesn’t need that much oil like poori or so. Heat should be kept low as it turns dark when overheated.  After which a small amount of jam or jelly is squirted inside the bread using a filler. Finally, some powdered sugar is sifted on top of it. Though it is special in the carnival season, it is available throughout the year in Bakery.

Ingredients:

1. All-purpose flour – 4 cups
2. Egg – 2
3. Butter – 50gms at room temperature
4. Sugar – 1/2 cup
5. Milk -1 /2 cup, lukewarm
6. Yeast – 25 gms (dry yeast)
7. Powdered sugar for sifting on top of the bread
8. Jelly or jam to stuff the bread
9. flour for dusting
10. Oil – 1/2 ltr

Method:

1. Mix flour, eggs, butter, sugar, yeast, and add the milk slowly and combine this mixture with the spatula in to smooth dough consistency and knead it.

2. Allow it to sit in a warm place until it raises its volume.

3. Now again knead the dough and make it into small balls of 12 to 15 numbers. Place the balls on a well flour-dusted kitchen towel or baking sheet or nonstick plate.

4. Cover it with a kitchen towel and allow it to rise to double its size.

5. Bring the oil to heat and the oil should not go to high heat at any point.

6. Carefully lift the Berliner balls using a flat spatulla and place it in oil. Allow it to cook for 3-4 minutes on both sides.

7. Remove from oil and place it in a paper towel. Now carefully squirt about 2 tbs of  jelly on the side of the bread.

8. Finally, sift the powdered sugar and enjoy. 

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