Shrove Tuesday 2023: Easy Fastnacht Recipe To Try On Fastnacht Day, a Pennsylvanian Dutch Celebration

Fastnacht day is celebrated on Shrove Tuesday, which falls a day before Ash Wednesday. This year it will be observed on Tuesday, February 21. On this day, Germans indulge in delicious doughnut pastries before beginning the Lenten fast, a fasting period observed by the Catholics. Fastnachts are similar to regular doughnuts, but the preparation makes them less sweet. As you celebrate Fastnacht Day 2023, we at LatestLY have bought an easy recipe that you can try to make fastnacht for the day.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 7 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• cooking oil
• blackstrap molasses

Process

1. In a saucepan, warm the milk and add butter until it melts.
2. In a large bowl, add salt, sugar and nutmeg
3. Pour in the milk and melted butter mix. Stir and set aside until it's lukewarm.
4. When the bowl contents are lukewarm, mix in beaten eggs and yeast.
5. Add 3 cups of flour. If you have a stand mixer, beat at low speed for 2 minutes and then at high speed for two more minutes. If you are mixing by hand mix try to add as much air as possible by vigorously mixing the batter for the last two minutes.
6. Once mixed well,  add the remaining flour and mix by hand.
7. Turn the dough on a floured board and knead for about 3 minutes.
8. Place the dough into a greased bowl and turn it over to grease both the top and bottom. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it remain warm for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
9. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured board.
10. Roll out the dough into a 1/4 inch thick disk.
11. Cut it into squares
12. Cover the kitchen towel and let prove it again until it doubles in size, about 45 minutes.
13. Once the squares have doubled, heat about 2 to 3 inches of cooking oil to 370 F in a heavy, deep saucepan. The frying oil is ready when a scrap of dough browns in about a minute.
14. Put the dough scraps into the hot oil. Avoid putting too many together, as it may drop the temperature of the oil.
15. Once the square becomes golden brown, turn the side.
16. Once they all are golden brown, remove the heat and set the fastnacht on a paper towel to cool. Remove excess oil with a paper towel.

Enjoy this easy recipe for fried fastnacht on this Fastnacht Day. Wishing everyone a Happy Fastnacht Day 2023!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2023 05:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).