Schmalzkuchen

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy deep pot or Dutch oven
• •Deep-fry thermometer
• •Spider skimmer or slotted spoon
• •Pastry wheel or sharp knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Wake the yeast

   Warm the milk to lukewarm, about 35 to 38C, because yeast works in warmth and dies in heat. Stir in the yeast and one spoon of the sugar, then leave it for 10 minutes until it looks creamy and faintly foamy. If it sits flat and dead, start again now, not after you've wasted the flour.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   Put the flour, remaining sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a bowl, then add the yeast milk, egg, and cooled melted butter or lard. Mix to a soft dough and knead 8 to 10 minutes, until it turns smooth and pulls from the bowl. The kneading builds enough strength to trap gas, which is why the pieces puff instead of lying there like fried scraps.

   Use cooled melted fat. Hot fat weakens the yeast and warms the egg, and then the dough starts badly before it has even risen.
3. 3

   Let it rise

   Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 60 to 75 minutes. Don't rush it. The dough should feel airy under your fingers, because that trapped gas becomes the hollow lift in the fryer. Das braucht seine Zeit.

4. 4

   Cut small pillows

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and roll it about 1cm thick. Cut it into small diamonds or squares, about 3cm across, with a knife or pastry wheel. Keep them small so the centre cooks before the outside over-browns; this is market food, not a filled Berliner.

5. 5

   Heat the fat

   Heat the oil or lard in a heavy pot to 175C. Use enough fat that the dough can float freely, because crowded pieces stick, cool the pot, and turn greasy. Runter mit der Temperatur if it climbs past 180C; colour is not the same as cooked.

6. 6

   Fry in batches

   Fry a small handful at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until puffed and golden on both sides. Watch the sound and the bubbles: a steady lively fry is right, a dull soak means the fat is too cool, and violent darkening means it is too hot. Lift them out with a spider and drain briefly on paper.

7. 7

   Sugar and serve

   Dust the Schmalzkuchen heavily with powdered sugar while the surface is still warm enough for the sugar to cling. Serve them straight away in a bowl or paper cone. They are best now, crisp at the edge and soft inside, and no storage trick improves them. Schön ist, was schmeckt.

Chef Tips

• •Fry by temperature, not by bravery. Around 175C gives the dough time to puff and cook through before the crust gets too dark.
• •Lard gives the old flavour the name promises; neutral oil is easier for many kitchens and still works. What doesn't work is old oil, because fried dough carries stale fat like a confession.
• •Cut the pieces before the fryer is ready and keep them lightly floured. Once the fat is hot, the work should move steadily so the dough doesn't overproof on the board.
• •Powdered sugar is the finish. Cinnamon sugar belongs to some fairground stalls too, but the plain white snowfall is the Weihnachtsmarkt memory.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight after mixing. Bring it to room temperature for 45 minutes before rolling, because cold dough fries dense.
• •Schmalzkuchen are best eaten the day they are fried. If you must hold them, keep them uncovered for a few hours and dust again before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 170g)