Secret recipe

Krapfen: when the dough wears the carnival crown

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

If there's one place where carnival is really sweet, it's the Seebichlhof in Kraig. Marlies Ruhdorfer conjures up the fluffiest doughnuts every year, where even the carnival prince would swap his sceptre for a piece of the sweet pastry. 

The Seebichlhof was first mentioned in the Middle Ages as the court of the Kraig castles. Senior manager Marlies Ruhdorfer has been at the farm for exactly 40 years and delights seasonal guests with her culinary delights. "I was mainly responsible for cooking, in the office, in service and for the garden, a girl for everything," laughs the likeable farmer. 

Carnival doughnuts for the whole family
But during the fifth season, a very special aroma of freshly baked doughnuts wafts over the Seebichlhof. "I got the recipe from my sister, we always swap ideas! I always make doughnuts for carnival, for the whole family and for visitors."

What makes Marlies Krapfen so special is not only the precious family recipe, but also the passion with which she creates her doughnuts. The first step is to make a normal yeast dough. "It should be warm, they don't like a draft at all! And use warm milk!"

A dash of rum to prevent the fat from being absorbed
But what makes Marlies' doughnuts so special? The experienced chef advises a shot of rum. "Then the fat won't be so drawn in." The dough needs to rest, grow and develop - like a carnival costume that only shines in all its glory when the right moment has come. After about an hour, fill the dough with a dough card.

The friendly senior chef Marlies Ruhdorfer has the dipping syringe ready to fill the countless doughnuts - with apricot jam, of course.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

Together with grandson Xaver, Marlies Ruhdorfer spends a lot of time in the kitchen during the carnival season.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

The dough has to rest for an hour.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

What would a carnival be without doughnuts?

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek)

"You can wear gloves when sanding the doughnuts to make them smoother. Dust the work surface with a little flour, press down quite firmly at the beginning, then after a few seconds pull in your fingers and make nice, big, fast and above all circular turns. It's all about creating tension in the dough."

Once with and once without a lid
If you bake the doughnuts in a pan, you should use rapeseed oil. "After they've risen for an hour - that's when they double in size - you put them in upside down, top side down. Above all, don't put too many doughnuts in the pan, they should be able to float for three to four minutes. (Temperature between 140 and 160 degrees). The lid should be on the pan. Then turn the fritters over and leave the lid off this time."

Ingredients

For 24 doughnuts:

• 1 kg doughnut flour
• 3- 6 egg yolks
• 8 dag sugar
• 5 dag butter
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 2 packets of yeast
• 1/2 liter warm milk
• 30 grams salt
• lemon and orange zest
• when portioning about 8 dag per doughnut
• Flour as a base

What does a beautiful doughnut actually look like? "The edge! That was already the case with our mother! A doughnut without edges, that's not a doughnut! You also eat with your eyes!" But now to the filling: "Of course, the doughnut can also be filled with strawberry or currant jam, but the real Carinthian carnival doughnut is filled with strained apricot jam!"

"Grandma makes the best doughnuts"
Grandson Xaver is also delighted. "Grandma makes the best doughnuts - I love doughnuts!" For Marlies, carnival means masked balls, carnival parties and, of course, sweet pastries! "I'm a bit of a carnival nut, sometimes I even dress up." Xaver will also be making the children's carnival unsafe as a clown this year. "Grandma just has to shorten the costume a bit."

In summer, the guesthouse at Seebichlhof in Kraig opens its doors again and guests can try out Marlies' cooking and baking skills. "When I'm not baking doughnuts, I prefer to cook Carinthian cheese noodles for the Enkalan."

Carnival without doughnuts is unthinkable. When it comes to the sweetest highlight of the carnival season, Marlies' recipe is definitely one step ahead. The best doughnuts are not only fluffy and sweet - they also bring a smile to your lips and confetti to your heart!