Recipe for Doughnuts - A Carnival Speciality

Carnival is a very special time of the year when people of all ages look forward to dressing up in innovative costumes, singing cheerful carnival songs, wearing funny masks and eating delicious carnival doughnuts.

We present simple recipes for doughnuts with or without filling.

Recipes

Classic Carnival Doughnut

Traditional Austrian Farmer's Doughnut

Carnival Doughnut - the classic with apricot jam filling

Ingredients for about 20 doughnuts

Dough:

• 250g lukewarm milk
• 2 yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 500g wheat flour (type 700)
• 50g sugar
• 1 cube of fresh yeast
• 2-3 tablespoons of rum
• 1 pinch of salt
• 60g butter at room temperature

Extras:

• 1litre oil or clarified butter for frying
• 250g apricot jam (finely strained)
• Icing sugar for dusting

Method:

• Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk, add two pinches of sugar and let it rest for a few minutes. NOTE: To activate the yeast, the milk must not be warmer than 35°C.
• Mix the butter (room temperature) well with the milk+yeast, yolk, rum and the remaining sugar.
• Mix flour and salt and knead into a smooth dough with the other ingredients.
• Cover the dough and let it rise to twice its volume in a warm place. Knead again and let rise again.
• Then divide the dough into pieces of about 40-50 grams each and form into balls.
• Place the dough balls on a floured work surface, cover with a cloth and let them rest for a few minutes.
• Heat the oil or clarified butter in a pot on the stovetop to about 170°C and carefully place the dough balls upside down into the hot fat. Cover and fry for about 3 minutes. Turn and fry again for about 3 minutes without the lid.
• Place the fried doughnuts on kitchen paper to drain excess oil and let them cool. Finally, use a piping bag to fill apricot jam into a hole in the side of each doughnut.
• Sprinkle with icing sugar and enjoy!

For those who prefer to enjoy the delicious yeast pastry without a filling, the "Bauernkrapfen" - a traditional Austrian farmer's doughnut - is just the thing!

Traditional Austrian Farmer's Doughnut (Bauernkrapfen)

Ingredients: You will need all the ingredients as above except for the apricot jam.

Preparation:

• Prepare the dough in the same way as above.
• Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Scoop out tablespoon-sized pieces and shape into balls with floured hands. Flatten into a disc and use two fingers to make a dent in the centre of each disc.
• Let the discs rest in a warm place for another 10 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a pot to 170°C on the stovetop. Place the discs with the dent facing down in the hot oil.
• Fry until golden brown on both sides.
• Place on kitchen paper to drain the excess oil. Allow to cool slightly and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Sweeten your Shrove Tuesday with these wonderful doughnuts and enjoy the day with family and friends or family.