Berliner
The Berliner is a spherical dessert made with a sweet dough fried in oil or fat and filled with any kind of jam, cream or hot chocolate.
This dessert is a traditional sweet from Germany where it is known by the name of Berliner Pfannkucher, although nowadays we can find it in many countries including Latin America. Its origin is uncertain, although some say that it was invented by a pastry chef from Berlin in the 18th century. These buns became famous in the region and even more so when Berlin became the capital of Germany, later spreading throughout the country.
To prepare the Berliner dough you will need: flour, egg, sugar, butter, milk, yeast, vanilla essence, lemon zest and salt. Once the dough is fried, it is sprinkled with powdered sugar or covered with chocolate if you prefer.
One of our favorite fillings is the pumpkin jam filling - you will find the Pumpkin Jam recipe here
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 45 Minutes
Ingredients for 10/12 Berliner
Sugar - 75g
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Lemon - grated zest of half
Vanilla Essence - 1 teaspoon
Egg - 1
Flour - 350g
Fresh Yeast - 15g
Milk - 120 mL
Unsalted Butter - 50g
Oil for frying
Sugar for decorating
Preparation:
Place the ingredients in a bowl: sugar, salt, lemon zest, vanilla, egg, milk and mix until well integrated. Add the yeast and stir until it dissolves. Add the flour little by little and knead until the ingredients are well mixed.
Incorporate the soft butter and knead until the dough is soft and smooth. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Once the dough is well rested, roll it into a cylindric shape of about 3 or 4 centimetres in diameter. Then start cutting round pieces with a knife that do not exceed 35g in weight. Make a ball with each piece with your hands and put them on a plate/ surface, cover them, and leave them to rest so that they double their size (around 15 minutes).
Now that the dough balls are ready we can go to the last step. Heat the oil in a deep pan at medium high. Fry the rounded pieces of dough we have prepared until they are brown on both sides. Then, remove them with a skimmer so that there is no excess oil.
Finally, drizzle the Berliners with powdered sugar on all sides and let them rest for 10 minutes.
Lastly, fill the Berliner with your favourite jam or cream or chocolate spread! We love them with pumpkin jam! Find the Pumpkin Jam Recipe here.