Carnival, Mardi Gras, Fastnacht - whatever you call it, this merry time of year is full of traditions, costumes and, of course, delicious food. In many parts of the world, delicious sweets are prepared during the carnival season. We'll show you how it's done!
The sweet tradition of carnival doughnuts
Ingredients:
- ⋅ 500 g wheat flour (type 405)
- ⋅ 80 g sugar
- ⋅ 1 packet of dry gher (approx. 7 g)
- ⋅ 250 ml lukewarm milk
- ⋅ 2 egg yolks
- ⋅ 50 g soft butter
- ⋅ 1 pinch of salt
- ⋅ 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⋅ Grated zest of 1 lemon
- ⋅ Vegetable oil for deep-frying
- ⋅ icing sugar for dusting
Instructions:
- Sieve the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Add the dry yeast to the lukewarm milk, stir gently and leave to rest for about 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Add the sugar, salt, egg yolks, softened butter, vanilla extract and grated lemon zest to the well in the flour.
- Pour the yeast milk over the ingredients in the hollow and slowly stir everything together until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it becomes smooth and elastic. This takes about 5-7 minutes.
- Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until it has doubled in volume.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of approx. 1 cm and cut out circles using a circle cutter (approx. 7 cm in diameter).
- Place the cut-out dough circles on a baking tray lined with baking paper and cover again to leave to rest for a further 30 minutes.
- Heat enough vegetable oil in a large pan (approx. 170°C).
- Carefully place the dough circles in the hot oil and deep-fry until golden brown. This takes about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Place the finished doughnuts on a baking tray lined with kitchen paper to drain off any excess oil.
These homemade carnival doughnuts are the sweet highlight of the carnival season and a wonderful way to celebrate the tradition of these delicious pastries in your own home. Enjoy your meal!