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Zigerkrapfen
Sweet cheese and nut pastries
Glarus carnival pastries filled with sweet whey cheese, nuts and dried fruit
SwissIn the Glarus valleys, Fasnacht means Zigerkrapfen: half-moon pastry pockets filled with sweetened Ziger, a soft fresh whey cheese, mixed with ground hazelnuts, raisins, cinnamon and pear, then fried or baked. Ziger itself is set with acid rather than rennet, but if you use ricotta check the label, and choose one marked vegetarian if needed. The common mistake is a wet filling, which bursts the seams; drain the cheese well. Chef's tip: brush the edges with egg white before folding and press with a fork, so they stay sealed in the hot oil.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- 4 oz cold buttercubed
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp cold milk
For the filling
- 2 ⅛ oz ground hazelnuts
- 1 ¾ oz raisins
- 1 ¾ oz dried pear or apricotchopped
- 2 ⅛ oz sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 egg whitefor sealing
To fry
- 4 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor deep-frying
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rub the 4 oz cold butter into the 10 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 pinch salt, then add the 1 egg and 3 tbsp cold milk and bring into a dough. Chill for 20 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Mix the 9 oz Ziger or ricotta (vegetarian), well drained, 2 ⅛ oz ground hazelnuts, 1 ¾ oz raisins, 1 ¾ oz dried pear or apricot, 2 ⅛ oz sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon to a thick paste.
5 minStep 3: Roll the pastry thinly and cut 10 cm circles. Put a spoon of filling on each, brush the edge with 1 egg white, fold into half-moons and press firmly with a fork.
15 minStep 4: Heat the 4 ¼ cups vegetable oil to 350°F and fry 3–4 at a time for 4–5 minutes, turning, until golden brown and crisp all over.
20 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper and dust with 2 tbsp icing sugar. Serve warm or cold the same day.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zigerkrapfen take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 25 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 plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of cold butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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