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Fasnachts-Schenkeli
Fried lemon dough fingers
Schenkeli: Swiss lemon dough fingers fried crisp for Fasnacht (Carnival)
Schenkeli ('little thighs') are fried for Fasnacht, the Carnival weeks that lead up to Lent in Switzerland, when bakeries in Basel, Lucerne and Zurich sell them by the bagful beside Fasnachtschüechli. The dough is rich with butter, eggs and lemon zest, rolled into finger-length logs and fried until they have a crisp, cracked golden shell and a soft, cakey middle. Some recipes add a splash of kirsch to the dough; this one doesn't. Chef's tip: fry them at a moderate temperature, as they need time to cook through and the signature cracks form only if they aren't browned too fast.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 2 ⅛ oz buttersoft
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 lemonzest only
- 1 pinch salt
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 ¼ cups sunflower oilfor frying
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Beat 2 ⅛ oz butter and 3 ½ oz caster sugar until creamy, then beat in 2 eggs, 1 lemon and 1 pinch salt.
Step 2: Mix in 10 ½ oz plain flour and 1 tsp baking powder to a smooth, soft dough. Wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Step 3: Roll walnut-sized pieces into logs about 8 cm long, slightly thicker in the middle, on a lightly floured surface.
15 minStep 4: Heat 4 ¼ cups sunflower oil to 325°F. Fry 6–8 at a time for 6–8 minutes, turning, until deep golden with cracks along the top. Break one open to check it is cooked through. A common mistake is oil that is too hot: they brown before the middle cooks.
28 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper and cool. They keep for a few days in a tin.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fasnachts-Schenkeli take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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