The Apfelküchle is a traditional German pastry, consisting of sliced apples dipped in

batter Batter or batters may refer to: Common meanings * Batter (cooking), thin dough that can be easily poured into a pan * Batter (baseball), person whose turn it is to face the pitcher * Batter (cricket), a player who is currently batting * Batter ...

and fried to a golden brown color. It is popular in Baden-Württemberg, a federal state in South-Germany. The Apfelküchle has spread throughout Europe and the US. It is similar to an

apple fritter A fritter is a portion of meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables or other ingredients which have been battered or breaded, or just a portion of dough without further ingredients, that is deep-fried. Fritters are prepared in both sweet and savory vari ...

but is made more like a

pancake A pancake (or hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack) is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a Starch, starch-based batter (cooking), batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or fryi ...

and can be prepared in numerous different fashions. While it is traditionally eaten as a complete meal, because of its sweet taste, it has become popular to eat Apfelküchle as a dessert as well.

Etymology

The word Apfelküchle is composed out of two words: , meaning apple, and , the

Swabian German Swabian (german: Schwäbisch ) is one of the dialect groups of Alemannic German that belong to the High German dialect continuum. It is mainly spoken in Swabia, which is located in central and southeastern Baden-Württemberg (including its capita ...

diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A (abbreviated ) is a word-formati ...

of the word , meaning cake. A possible translation is ''little apple pie''.

History

It is not completely certain when Apfelküchle were technically 'invented', however it is known that the pastry was created in south-west Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, where it has been a long-standing traditional meal. Recently, Apfelküchle has spread far beyond Germany's borders and has become very popular.

Season

Apples do not tend to tolerate long storage through the colder seasons. Apfelküchle are a great use for all of the spare apples that are picked in the summer and early autumn. A large amount of apples that would otherwise be wasted, whether they were not sold, or were slightly damaged before they could be eaten (either en route to the vendor or damaged during harvest), can be used to make Apfelküchle.Apfelküchle, das perfekte süsse Herbstessen
Apfelküchle, the perfect sweet autumn meal

Fat Thursday

Apfelküchle are traditionally eaten in Baden-Württemberg on Fat Thursday, the Thursday prior to

Rose Monday ( en, Rose Monday) is the highlight of the German ( carnival), and takes place on the Shrove Monday before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Mardi Gras, though celebrated on Fat Tuesday, is a similar event. is celebrated in German-speaki ...

(Carnival Monday), similar to eating paczki on

fat tuesday Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fat ...

. Apfelküchle is traditionally eaten as a main course, however, due to variety and popularity, in recent years, it is often served as a dessert. Especially in the time of carnival, the Apfelküchle is a must. Furthermore, it is part of every church anniversary in southern Germany.

Preparation

Main ingredients

There are a few different ways in which Apfelküchle is made. Most recipes differ mainly in minor ingredients which are swapped out based on the consumers taste. Apfelküchle all have a main ingredient of apples and dough (made from eggs,

flour Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many culture ...

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...

, salt, and milk). Different variations of dough can be made by adding extras such as beer, fruit brandy, and

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfa ...

Consumption

Since the end of the 18th century, it has become common to use a variety of sauces to refine dishes in Baden-Württemberg. As a popular dish in that area, Apfelküchle is often served with its own variety of sauces and sides.Apfelküchle. Süß- und Backwaren
Apfelküchle. confectionary and bakery goods The most common way to eat Apfelküchle is warm with

and

, or with powdered sugar dusted on top. One of the most popular refinements of this dish is to serve it cold with a

vanilla sauce Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on sweetened milk, cheese, or cream cooked with egg or egg yolk to thicken it, and sometimes also flour, corn starch, or gelatin. Depending on the recipe, custard may vary in consistency from ...

. Similarly, it is popular, especially among children, to be served with vanilla ice cream. Cooks in Baden-Württemberg also like to flambé it with Grand Marnier or rum and serve it with a little scoop of vanilla ice. Another sauce used to dress Apfelküchle is called Chaudeausauce, a French term for "hot water", which is composed mainly of wine, vinegar, lemon juice, egg yolks and

. It is traditionally made with white wine—usually champagne, occasionally with a shot of cognac or sherry. It can be enjoyed both hot and cold.

References

External links

Recipe for Apfelküchle with vanilla sauce
{{DEFAULTSORT:Apfelkuchle German desserts Fried foods Apple dishes