German Fasnacht Recipe Ausgezogene

German Fasnacht Recipe Ausgezogene or “Knieküchle” (knee pastries) are different from Krapfen or pancakes. It is a traditional and local recipe of the German and Austrian cuisine. Like the Berliner this pastry will be deep fried.

Ausgezogene are made out of a yeast dough, and it you like you can add raisins. The dough is formed so that the middle is very thin and the outer edge is thicker. They are made for Fasnacht, for the holidays like after the harvest in fall, or even at Christmas (in Tyrol).
The name comes from the fact that the Franconian Bakers pulled the dough over the knee so that it became really thin in the middle. It should be so thin that you can read a letter through it. The name “Ausgezogene” means literally “stretched out”. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients German Fasnacht Recipe Ausgezogene

500 g flour
30 g yeast fresh or 1 package dry yeast
250 ml milk
60 g butter
2 eggs
60 g sugar
some grated lemon peel
oil for deep frying

Cooking Instructions German Fasnacht Recipe Ausgezogene

– Make  a pre-dough out of flour, yeast. Let raise a bit then add luke warm milk and remaining ingredients. Knead dough until it is smooth.
– On a wooden baking board roll the dough (0.5 – 1cm thick) and with a glass of diameter 8cm or 3 inches (or bigger up to 15cm) cut out circles. Let them raise until volume has doubled.

– Now pull the circles – they used to do this over the knee – gently, don’t make holes. They should be thicker (about 2 cm or 1 inch).
– Take the pulled out dough and let it glide carefully into the hot oil. The dough will look like a balloon right away, so with a spoon pour hot oil over the middle. When the edge is golden brown use 2 spoons and lift it on one side and turn around, let it slide into the oil. The thinner middle will be blowing up again. Don’t pour oil over it. Take it out when the edge is golden brown and let it drip on kitchen paper.
– Dust with powdered sugar or a mix of cinnamon-sugar.

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