Berliner Ballen
(Berlin Balls) Recipe

Origin: German      Period: Traditional

Ingredients:

250 g butter
3 eggs
125 g sugar
200 g flour
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
240ml milk, lukewarm
jam for filling
35g yeast
oil for deep frying

Berliner Ballen
(Berlin Balls) Preparation:

Method:

Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk, add sugar and wait a few minutes until the mixture begins to froth.

Melt the butter, allow to cool and beat-in the eggs. Add the butter and egg mixture to the yeasty milk and stir well. Gradually add the flour and beat to a dough. Continue beating the dough until it thickens sufficiently to stop sticking to the spoon. Cover with a cloth, place in a warm spot and allow the dough to slowly rise. Once doubled in size, knock the dough back then roll it out to a little less than finger thickness. Cut into circles with an upturned glass or cup. Place a little heap of jam in the middle of every second circle, moisten the rims with a little water, top the jam-circles with those without jam and press all flatten the two halves firmly together. (Do not press where the jam is, unless you like a squidgy mess!). Place the Berliner Ballen on a baking tray and put in a warm place to rise, covered with a kitchen cloth.

Heat the oil and fry 3–4 of the Berliners at one time. Do not forget to turn them after they've cooked on one side. They are done when top and bottom are light-brown and the sides yellow.

Drain well, then dust each Berliner with granulated sugar or with powdered sugar. Or glaze the tops of each (but not the sides or the bottom).

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