Kreple is a sweet, fruit-filled donut with origins in Polish Silesia. It is a pre-Lenten dessert popular in Germany, made with flour, sugar, eggs, and fruit filling. The dough is fried and can be glazed or iced.
Kreple is a type of sweet donut usually made from a mixture of sugar, eggs, lard and various fruits for flavoring. This dish has origins in the Polish recipe for Silesia and can also be spelled krappel or krepel. These types of Silesian donuts are also popular throughout Germany and are made in the same shape as the German-style donut known as a Berliner. Kreple is a favorite pre-Lenten dessert because it consumes sweet ingredients that aren’t allowed during this time of religious observance.
About the same size as other donut-shaped desserts, kreple donuts usually lack holes and are instead filled with fruit filling. The origins of kreple are generally traced to recipes developed in the peasant homes of 19th- and early 20th-century Europe. Most of these families regularly consumed food items as efficiently as possible due to the need for economic frugality. Before refrigeration became common in homes, kreple was considered a favorite Mardi Gras food which also avoided leftover ingredients that would otherwise spoil during Lent.
Recipes for kreple dough can vary based on family traditions, but the basic ingredients typically consist of all-purpose flour, white sugar, eggs, and a pinch of salt to round out the flavor. Some recipes call for a smaller amount of flour than would be used to bake bread from scratch, and yeast is also a recipe requirement for finished donuts to have the right texture. Some cooks mix in lard for the dough to reach the right consistency, while others prefer to use butter or margarine because they have less fat. A measure of vanilla extract is often added to bring out the sweetness more.
Kreple ingredients for the filling can often be jams or preserves in various fruit flavors. Sometimes donuts can also be filled with jam, custard, or sweet icing, depending on the baker’s preference. Once each kreple donut is formed from the dough and filled with your chosen ingredients, batches of them are usually fried in oil until golden brown. They can then be glazed or iced on their tops if the baker wishes.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
