Jelly-filled Donuts

Berliner Pfannkuchen

These sweet donuts are known as Pfannkuchen (pancakes) in Berlin and as Berliners in every other part of the country. No matter what they are called, they are delicious and especially popular to eat at New Year's Eve Parties.

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ounce fresh (cake) yeast, or 2 ( ¼ -ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
  • ¾ cup lukewarm water
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • zest of 1 lemon, preferable organic
  • ½ cup raspberry, currant or plum jelly
  • vegetable oil (corn or peanut) for deep frying
  • confectioner's sugar
  1. Mix the flour and the salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Crumble the yeast into it and mix it with a small amount of the flour and few tablespoons of the milk. Cover and let stand in a warm place for 20 minutes.
  2. Melt the butter, mix it with the remaining milk and add it to the dough. Add the sugar, eggs and lemon zest and knead into a smooth dough in a food processor with a dough blade or using the kneading attachment of an electric mixer. The dough should easily detach from the sides of the bowl. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
  3. Divide the dough in half. Roll the first half about ¼ inch thick on a floured work surface. Make 3-inch circles, using a glass or a cup. Place a teaspoon of jelly in the center of each circle.
  4. Roll the other half of the dough and carefully align it neatly on top of the first half. Cut out circles with the 3-inch glass, centering the glass on each protruding jelly filling. Gently press the edges of the dough together to seal. You will have dough left over from in-between the circles and at the edges – roll it again and proceed the same way until the dough is used up.
  5. Place the donuts on a large floured board and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
  6. Heat the oil to 370 degrees F in a deep-fryer or large saucepan. The oil needs to be hot enough to sizzle a bread crumb. Carefully lower the donuts into the hot oil, a few at a time and fry on both sides until they puff and turn golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
  7. While still warm, dust the donuts with confectioner's sugar, using a flour sifter or a fine sieve.

Source: Nadia Hassani: “Spoonfuls of Germany” (Hippocrene Books, 2004)