Magdeburg Fried Dough Squares (Magdeburger Schmalzkuchen)
Magdeburger Schmalzkuchen Say it: MAHG-deh-boor-gur SHMALTZ-koo-khen
Schmalzkuchen are small, square doughnuts from Magdeburg, cut from a soft yeast dough and fried in hot fat until puffed and deep golden. In Saxony-Anhalt they are a fixture of Lenten fairs, carnival weeks and Christmas markets, sold by the paper bagful and eaten while still warm. The crust is crisp and faintly crackly, the inside light, airy and barely sweet, and a snowfall of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar does the rest. Simple ingredients, a short rise and a pot of hot fat are all it takes.
Magdeburg Fried Dough Squares (Magdeburger Schmalzkuchen)
Magdeburger Schmalzkuchen
Pronounced MAHG-deh-boor-gur SHMALTZ-koo-khen
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Dough
For frying and finishing
Method
Warm the milk to lukewarm, about 100°F (38°C). Crumble the fresh yeast into it with 1 teaspoon of the sugar (or whisk in the dry yeast) and leave for 10 minutes until a foamy layer forms on top.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, salt and lemon zest. Add the yeast mixture, eggs, melted butter and vanilla, then knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and pulls cleanly away from the bowl.
Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm place for 60–75 minutes, until the dough has doubled and springs back slowly when poked.
Punch the dough down, tip it onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick. Cut into 2 x 3 inch (5 x 8 cm) rectangles with a knife or pastry wheel and lay them on a floured tray; rest for 10–15 minutes while the oil heats.
Pour the oil into a deep heavy pot to a depth of at least 2 inches (5 cm) and heat to 340–350°F (170–175°C). Drop in a scrap of dough as a test: it should sink briefly, then rise and sizzle steadily.
Fry the squares 3 or 4 at a time for 1½–2 minutes per side, turning once with a slotted spoon, until deep golden brown all over and puffed. Keep the oil between 340 and 350°F (170–175°C) so they cook through before they colour.
Lift the Schmalzkuchen out, drain briefly on paper towels, then toss the warm squares in cinnamon sugar or dust them generously with powdered sugar and eat while still warm.
Regional variants
Across Germany similar small fried pastries appear under many names, from Rhineland Mutzen to Saxon Fettgebäck. Some bakers knead a handful of soaked raisins or a splash of rum into the dough, and some glaze the cooled squares with a thin sugar icing instead of dusting them.
Cook's notes
- Let the cut squares rest a few minutes before frying — the dough relaxes and puffs more evenly.
- Chill the rolled dough for 20 minutes if it is soft; firm dough cuts into neat squares and holds its shape in the oil.
- Fry in lard instead of oil for the traditional flavour, keeping it at the same temperature.
Serve with
Hot coffee or hot chocolate, or mulled wine at a Christmas market.
Make ahead and storage
The dough can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge. The fried squares are best fresh; store them loosely in a paper bag for a day and refresh in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes.
