Knieküchle

"Küchl" redirects here. For the Austrian violinist, see Rainer Küchl.
Knieküchle
Type Pastry
Place of origin Germany
Main ingredients yeast dough; raisins
Cookbook: Knieküchle  Media: Knieküchle

Knieküchle is a traditional German fried dough pastry that is very popular in Old Bavaria, Franconia, Western Austria and Thuringia. Depending on region it has several other names, including Auszogne, Krapfen, Küchl, or Rottnudel. In Austria its name is Bauernkrapfen or Kiachl.[1]

Preparation

As a general rule they are made of yeast dough but some recipes vary slightly. Very common for example is the addition of raisins. The dough is then shaped in a way so it is very thin in the middle and thicker on the edges. They are then fried in boiling lard and dusted with confectioner's sugar. In Austria it is eaten with apricot marmalade.[2]

In the past the pastry was mostly eaten during the harvest and on holidays, especially for Kermesse or Dult.

In Franconia people also differentiate between "catholic" and "protestant" Knieküchle depending whether it is dusted with confectioner's sugar or not.

Name etymology

According to legend the name derives from the practice of baker women from Franconia that stretched the dough over their knees very thinly so they could read love letters through it.

References

  1. Auszogne (bavaria.us)
  2. Knieküchle (kirchenweb.at)
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