Grandma’s Farmer’s Doughnuts: Your Original Salzburg Recipe

Grandma’s Farmer’s Doughnuts: Your Original Salzburg Recipe

Imagine sitting at a sunny alpine hut in the Salzburg region. In front of you, a plate of golden-brown, fluffy doughnuts, a bright red dollop of lingonberry jam in the center, and a dusting of powdered sugar on top. The aroma of fresh pastries and the anticipation of the first bite – a true taste of home! ☀️

Today, we’re bringing that exact feeling into your kitchen. Forget complicated recipes and dry attempts. With this traditional recipe and a little secret our grandmothers knew, you’ll create the best farmer’s doughnuts – crispy on the outside, airy and soft on the inside, and simply irresistible.

A Bite of Salzburg’s History

The “Bauernkrapfen,” also known as “Kiachl” or “Ausgezogene” in some regions, is more than just a pastry. It’s a symbol of hospitality, celebration, and traditional Alpine cuisine. In the past, it was a festive dish served on church days or after a hard day’s work. The special thing about it: every farm and every alpine pasture had its own recipe, refined over generations.

“Stretching” the dough (“ausziehen”) with your fingers to create the typical thick edge and thin center is an art in itself. But don’t worry, with a little practice, you’ll become a doughnut master in no time!

The Secret is in the Flour – Freshly Milled Tastes Best!

So, what’s the secret to the perfect, fluffy dough? Of course, it’s good eggs, honest butter, and a pinch of love. But the most important ingredient, often underestimated, is the flour. For our farmer’s doughnuts, we need a fine all-purpose or pastry flour, which gives the dough a silky texture.

And here comes the game-changing tip: freshly milled flour. When you grind wheat kernels right before baking, they release an incomparable aroma and still contain all the valuable nutrients of the whole grain. This not only makes the dough more flavorful but also noticeably more alive and elastic. This philosophy of appreciating natural ingredients is exactly what we live by at the Salzburg Grain Mill. With a grain mill at home, you have the freshness and quality of your flour in your own hands – a difference you can taste and feel.

Your Recipe for Authentic Salzburg Farmer’s Doughnuts

This recipe makes about 12-15 doughnuts and can be prepared wonderfully in advance.

Ingredients:

• 500 g (approx. 4 cups) all-purpose flour (ideally freshly milled)
• 250 ml (approx. 1 cup) lukewarm milk
• 21 g (approx. 0.75 oz) fresh yeast or 1 packet of dry yeast
• 60 g (approx. 1/4 cup or 4 tbsp) soft butter
• 50 g (approx. 1/4 cup) sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tsp lemon zest (untreated)
• 2 tbsp rum (optional, prevents the dough from soaking up fat)
• Approx. 1 liter (4 cups) vegetable oil or clarified butter for frying
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• Lingonberry jam or apricot jam for filling

Instructions:

1. Prepare the yeast starter (sponge): Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk, add a spoon of sugar, and stir until smooth. Sprinkle some flour on top and let it rest in a warm place for about 15 minutes until bubbles form.
2. Prepare the dough: Place the remaining flour in a large bowl. Add the sugar, egg yolks, whole egg, soft butter, salt, lemon zest, rum, and the prepared yeast starter. Knead everything with the dough hook of a stand mixer or vigorously with a wooden spoon to form a smooth, supple dough. The dough should form blisters and pull away from the side of the bowl.
3. Let it rest: Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for about 45-60 minutes, until it has doubled in volume.
4. Shape the doughnuts: Briefly knead the dough on a floured surface and divide it into equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place it on a floured cloth. Cover again and let rise for about 20 minutes.
5. “Stretch” the dough: Heat the oil in a wide pan or pot to about 320-340°F (160-170°C). The oil is hot enough when small bubbles form on a wooden stick dipped into it. Now, carefully stretch the dough balls with floured fingers from the center outwards to form a thin disc with a thicker edge.
6. Fry: Place the doughnuts top-side down into the hot oil. They should be able to float. First, fry with a lid on until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes), then turn them over and finish frying without the lid.
7. Serve: Remove the finished doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon and let them drain on paper towels. While still warm, dust with powdered sugar and add a dollop of jam to the hollow center.

Sweet or Savory – You Decide!

Traditionally, these sweet farmer’s doughnuts are enjoyed with coffee. But did you know they are also delicious as a savory treat? Simply leave out the sugar and serve the doughnuts fresh from the pan with warm sauerkraut. A hearty delight that will amaze you!

We wish you lots of fun baking and enjoying them! Bring a piece of Salzburg tradition into your kitchen and discover the difference that freshly milled flour can make. Tell us in the comments how your Bauernkrapfen turned out!

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