Traditional Apricot Krapfen

An extremely supple leavened dough, fried to a golden brown with its characteristic white ring. The crumb is airy and hides a tangy jam center.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 691
• Protein: 12 g
• Carbs: 94 g
• Fat: 29 g

Ingredients

• 333.3 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 133.3 ml Whole milk ( warmed )
• 20 g Fresh baker's yeast ( crumbled )
• 40 g White sugar
• 1.3 piece Egg ( at room temperature )
• 53.3 g Minimum butter sweet ( softened )
• 0.7 tbsp Rum
• 0.7 pinch Fleur de sel
• 100 g Apricot jam (extra or classic) ( smooth )
• 500 ml Sunflower oil ( for frying )
• 20 g Icing sugar ( for dusting )

Instructions

1. Activate the yeast

   Dissolve the fresh baker's yeast in the lukewarm whole milk. Let it rest for 10 minutes until a light foam appears on the surface.

2. Knead the dough

   In the bowl, mix the wheat flour, white sugar, salt, and eggs. Pour in the milk-yeast mixture and the rum. Knead until the mass is homogeneous.

3. Incorporate the butter

   Add the softened butter piece by piece. Knead vigorously until the dough slaps against the sides, becomes smooth, shiny, and very elastic.

4. First rise

   Cover with a damp cloth. Let it double in volume in a warm place. The dough should be puffy and full of air.

5. Shaping

   Divide into 60g balls. Roll them firmly on the work surface to obtain a very smooth surface. Place on a floured tray and let rise again for 45 minutes.

6. Frying

   Heat the sunflower oil to 170°C. Dip the donuts, domed side first. Cover for 2 minutes to let them puff up, then flip. A clear line should be visible in the middle.

7. Filling

   Using a fine piping bag, inject the apricot jam through the side, at the level of the clear line, until you feel resistance.

8. Finishing

   Generously sprinkle the Krapfen with icing sugar on all sides to achieve the traditional look before serving.

Chef's tips

• Oil temperature is key: too hot and the center stays raw; too cold and the doughnut absorbs the oil.
• Don't skip the rum, it prevents the dough from absorbing too much fat during frying.

Storage

Best eaten the same day to keep the surface crispy. Otherwise, store in an airtight container at room temperature.