Auszogne, a German/Austrian pastry

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Auszogne Donut, Knieküchle

Auszogne

Auszogne, also called Knieküchle, is a traditional pastry of southern German and Austrian cuisine. They can be found in a Bavarian, Swabia, Franconia, Austrian and Thuringia kitchen or bakery

In old times they were placed over the knee (Knee means Knie in German) and formed, therefor the name Knieküchle. Other names are: Kirchweihnudeln, Kerwa Kiachl, and Bauernkrapfen

The Auszogne are usually made of yeast dough, this can vary regionally but also slightly. What makes this pastry different, is that the dough is shaped so that the donuts are very thin in the middle. They also have a uniform thick bead on the outside.

They are fried in clarified butter or vegetable oil, and sprinkled with powdered sugar. An Auszogne pastry has a thin golden/brown rim on the bead as it floats on the hot fat during deep frying.

Auszogne, I call them Bavarian Donut, were formerly baked mainly in the harvest season and on holidays, especially to the Kirchweih town festival. In Franconia, the distinction is sometimes made between “Catholic” and “Protestant” cuisine, depending on whether the depression (Catholic) or the elevation (Protestant) is covered with powdered sugar. The Tyrolean “Kiachl” is eaten with jam, or sprinkled with sauerkraut, or powdered sugar and is a popular dish on Tyrolean Christmas markets.

Auszogne, Bavarian Donut

Today, the Auszogne are eaten for afternoon coffee. when they are still warm. That’s when they taste great. This pastry is especially good when freshly prepared, because Auszogne ​​from the previous day are neither crispy in the middle, nor have a fluffy edge.

A traditional South German and Austrian pastry. Similar like a donut, but instead of a hole, the dough in the middle consists of a thin layer.