We've been playing around and trying to figure out how to make our own Fastnchtschüechli...and landed upon the above end result. They are actually quite easy to make...and really tasty. We posted a recipe on our blog if anyone wants to give it a go...

They look delicious... those triangles in sugar powder...

and to compliment Jack's post with somemore Fasnacht re,ated info here is an ( an old one i admit) article about the very topic of deep fried delicacies during the Crazy Season


Traditionally Swiss February 2004

February is the month where everywhere in Switzerland the carnival (FASNACHT) is in full swing, with Schnitzelbank evenings (dressed up people singing or telling in rhymes in a satirical way the happenings of last year), Pageants through the cities main roads and many more activities throughout the country.



Here are some of the sweet specialities that are eaten on these occasions.
Schenkeli

There is no appropriate translation for this; it’s especially made around this time of year only. Schenkeli got their name because they look a little like a human thighs. The other name of this, is TIRGGELI mostly used in the eastern part of Switzerland.
All recipes concerning deep fried foods need a preheated deep fryer!
Schenkeli

125gr/4.5oz Butter
250gr/8.5oz Sugar
1 pinch of salt
3 Eggs
1 Lemon, grated zest only
500gr/16.5oz all purpose white flour
¼ tsp. Bakingpowder
Oil for deep-frying
Beat the butter until fluffy and pale, add sugar and salt in alternation with the eggs to the butter. Mix well (a kitchen machine/blender will be very helpful) add the zest of the lemon and mix the flour with the baking powder and sieve it into the mixture. Let stand in a cool place for about 1 to 2 hours.
Then form a roll of the thickness of a finger and cut pieces of 3 to 5 cm/ 1 ¼ to 2 inches length.
Deep fry approx 6 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Let drip off the excess oil on kitchen paper.
Schlüüferli / Schlüüfchüechli

Schlüferli (or Schlüüfchüechli) have a slightly different recipe of making the dough than the Schenkeli and their shape is funny to look at, basically you cut rhombus’/lozenges out of the rolled dough, slit them in the middle and put one end of the rhombus through that slit, this explains also the name of them. “Schlüüfe” is a Swiss German term and means slip / glide through.
Schlüüferli

75gr/2 ½ oz Butter
150gr/5oz sugar
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 lemon, grated zest only
150ml/5 fl oz full fat cream
400gr/13 oz all purpose white flour
Oil for deep-frying

Beat the butter until it looks white and fluffy. Add sugar and salt in alternation with the eggs and mix well.
Add lemon zest and add flour in alternation with the cream mix throughout.
Let stand for about 1 to 2 hours in a cool place. Then roll out the dough to a thickness of ½ cm / ¼ inch and cut rhombus'/lozenges of 10cm /4 inch length and 3 cm/ 1 ½ inch width.
In the middle of each rhombus cut with a sharp knife a slit and put one end of the rhombus through that slit.
Deep fry, until golden brown looking. Let drip off the excess fat on layers of kitchen paper.

....and for those who prefer it saltier and a nifty with their fingers........

TS Jan/Feb 2005


February is the month of Fasnacht. All throughout Switzerland, Fasnacht is being celebrated. Each local town has it’s own traditions, and each major city as well. This year I am going to tell you about a speciality from Lucerne’s Fasnacht. It is called the Fritschipastete (more commonly known as Luzerner Chügelipastete). When the Lucerne Fasnacht starts on “dirty Thursday” This day is called 'dirty' because Schmutz (dirt) is the Alemannic word for 'fat' and it's the day to make Fastnachtschüechli and similar, which are kind of doughnuts that are fried in fat. The members of the Fritschi Family are always amongst the first to get out and celebrate. The custom started with the battle of 1446 when the Swiss beat the occupying Austrians into retreat. This specific battle was won on the day of St. Fridolin (Fritschi is a version of that name). The annual memorial celebrations of that victory presented all men, who served in the military, dressed up in full uniform parading through the city and participating in rounds of eating and drinking (not necessarily in that order). The clericals, however, were not fond of this behaviour as the date fell in the middle of lent. Therefore, the council decided to switch the date to the Schmutzige Donnerstag, the first day of the Lucerne Fasnacht. ’Brother Fritschi’ then took part in the pageant as a giant blue and white dressed straw doll. Later the members of the Zunft zu Safran (the guild of the shopkeepers) impersonated the traditional figurine and it’s supposed family :-)

Luzerner Chügelipastete

Pastry Cup

500 –700gr Puff pastry (Blätterteig)
Baking parchment and tinfoil
1-2 eggs

Form with tinfoil a ball of the size of your fist and wrap with baking parchment until you get a ball of approximately 37cm around.
Roll out the dough until about 4mm thick and cut two circles, one approximately 32 cm in diameter and the other approximately 24 cm.
Place the smaller circle of dough onto a prepared baking tray, place the parchment ball on top and cover with the larger dough circle. Carefully seal the circles together by pressing and twisting the rims together. Roll out the remaining dough and cut into 6 strips. (four short ones and two long ones)
Line the 4 short strips (over cross) over the top of the case. Wrap one long strip, one around the middle of the case (forming a “wall”). Wrap the other long strip around the bottom of the case (forming the bottom part of the wall). Baste with egg yolk and bake at 250C° for 10 minutes. Baste again with egg yolk; reduce heat to 180C° and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes.
When done, put on a wire rack to cool. After five minutes, cut off a “lid” with a very sharp knife and carefully remove the parchment ball. Hint: because the dough is warm it is still “elastic” which makes this job easier

FILLING:

600gr (20 oz) veal for braising (in CH it is called KALBSVORESSEN) - Cut into 2-3cm (1-1.5inch) cubes
250gr (8.5oz) white veal Sausage meat (Kalbsbrät) formed to little balls
250gr (8.5oz) Pork Sausage meat (Schweinebrät) formed to little balls
400gr (13.5oz) fresh Champignons, sliced or quartered
150gr (5.5oz) raisins
5ogr (ca.2 fl oz) Cognac
400gr (13.5oz) Onions, chopped
80gr (ca 3 fl oz) oil
60gr (ca. 2 fl oz) Butter
300ml(10 fl oz) red wine
800ml(26fl oz) Demi -Glace or thickened veal fond
Flour, bay leaf, clove, salt, freshly ground black pepper

Soak the raisins in the cognac. Form small balls (approx. the size of large marbles) with both
sausage meats, set aside in fridge.

Dust the veal meat cubes with a little flour, then heat the oil in a large stewing pot and quickly fry the meat on all sides. Douse with the red wine and reduce the heat, let simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the prepared Demi-Glace (usually you can buy this as powder or paste in any large supermarket and you just need to dilute it with hot water, BUT it is not the same as BRATENSAUCE!!)

After adding the demi-glace, add all spices and seasonings and cover the pot with a lid and let simmer for 45 minutes before adding the mushrooms. Simmer for another 15 minutes; add the prepared meatballs and raisins with the cognac. Then increase the heat. JUST BELOW the boiling point, pour into the pastry case and
serve piping hot.


In case you don’t want to attempt the pastry cups yourself, the following Lucerne bakeries will make them to order (if you are not from Lucerne, just ask at your local bakery):

Bäckerei Kreyenbühl, Würzenbachstrasse 23, 6000 Luzern 15
Tel 041 375 70 50 / Fax 041 375 70 59 /E-Mail : kreyenbuel@datacomm.ch
Size: 1 - 14 Personen

Bäckerei/Conditorei Rüthemann, Waldstätterstrasse 6/8, 6003 Luzern
Tel 041 210 57 15 / Fax 041 210 55 62
Every size wished is feasible

Feinbäckerei Zai, Am Grendel 21, 6004 Luzern
Tel 041 410 24 14 / Fax 041 410 24 61
Every size wished is feasible


©sylv05

nice additions...thanks EastEnders...

They look yummy, may I have the honor to taste one?

Thank you for posting the picture and recipe Jack... I know it was a few months ago but I'm current "hankering" for something sweet but not too heavy and this looks pretty near perfect!

-
In case you are not content with the result of your attempt, remember that at Jan to March, the best ones are those of Migros (far better than the ones from Coop or the ones from bakeries/Konditoreien)

Correct! They even are a "cult" product in this country. Some people travel miles to get them if they don't have a Migros branch in their village.

Getting to be that time of year again...so here's a bump!

There are plenty of good suggestions in this thread for making your own Beignets de Carnaval... Here's how I make them at home: Beignets de Carnaval [Fresh Attitude Blog Posting]

Yes thanks to Swizterland I've been able to taste them again after leaving France 15 years ago. If you do have the chance to travel to France , go to a bakery and ask for some " bugnes". You may find they even taste better, but I'm not objective as I've growm up eating these ones. They are famous in my home town Lyon and come from Savoie so not far from Swizterland

James oliver has a recepe:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/foodwise/...ew.php?id=1652.