Berliner Pfannkuchen (Jelly-Filled German Doughnuts)
In short: Fluffy yeast doughnuts fried until golden with a pale ring around the middle, filled with jam and rolled in sugar. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 400 kcal
Berliner Pfannkuchen, called Krapfen in the south, are yeast doughnuts filled with jam and eaten at New Year's Eve and carnival time. The dough is rich with eggs and butter, shaped into rounds, proved until puffy and fried so each one develops a pale band around the middle. Plum or raspberry jam inside and a sugar coat outside finish them. Eat them the day you fry them.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, eggs, yolk, lemon zest and rum and knead for 5 minutes.
- Add the butter and knead for 8 more minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, soft but not sticky. Cover and let rise for 1 hour until doubled.
- Roll the dough 2 cm (3/4 inch) thick on a lightly floured surface and cut 12 rounds with an 8 cm (3 inch) cutter. Set them on a floured towel, cover and rest 30 minutes until puffy.
- Heat the oil in a wide, deep pot to 170°C (340°F), with at least 6 cm (2 1/2 inches) of oil.
- Fry 3 doughnuts at a time, starting with the side that faced up during proofing, with the lid on for 2 minutes until golden. Turn and fry uncovered for 2 minutes more, until a pale band shows around the middle.
- Drain on paper towels for 1 minute, then roll the warm doughnuts in the granulated sugar.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a long thin nozzle with the jam. Push the nozzle into the side of the pale band and squeeze in about 15 g (1 tbsp) of jam. Serve the same day.
Tips
- Keep the oil at 170°C (340°F). If it is too cool the doughnuts soak up oil, and if it is too hot they brown before the center cooks.
- Plum butter, rose hip or raspberry jam are the traditional fillings. Strain seedy jam first so it pipes smoothly.
Questions and answers
Why do Berliner have a white ring around the middle?
The dough floats high in the oil and the center band stays above the surface, so it does not brown. It shows the doughnuts were proved well and fried at the right temperature.
Can I bake them instead of frying?
You can bake them at 190°C (375°F) for 15 to 18 minutes, but they turn out like soft filled rolls rather than doughnuts. Brush with melted butter and roll in sugar.
Can I make the dough the night before?
Yes. After kneading, cover and refrigerate it overnight, then roll, cut and rest the rounds for 45 minutes at room temperature before frying.
How long does it take to make Berliner Pfannkuchen (Jelly-Filled German Doughnuts)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Berliner Pfannkuchen (Jelly-Filled German Doughnuts)?
About 400 kcal per serving, with 7 g of protein, 57 g of carbohydrates and 16 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 400 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 57 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 26 g |
| Sodium | 160 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
