Eberswald Cake

Eberswald Cake (Choux Pastry Doughnuts)

When I want something sweet but not too complicated, I choose this choux pastry doughnut recipe. I’ve started making it quite often, especially since it doesn’t require rare ingredients and I don’t have to spend too much time by the stove. It seems perfect for when I want to fry something quickly without having to let the dough rise. It’s one of those recipes that you can make with what you already have in your pantry.

Quick Info

Total time: about 50 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Frying and glazing time: 20-30 minutes
Servings: 12-15 small doughnuts
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: quick dessert, homemade pastries, choux doughnuts

Ingredients

Dough:
100 ml water
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon sugar
a pinch of salt
120 g flour
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

For frying: oil (for deep frying, enough to cover the doughnuts)

Glaze:
100 g powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
rum essence, to taste

Preparation method

1. Start with the dough. Put the water, oil, sugar, and salt in a pot. Place over medium heat and wait for it to boil.

2. When the liquid starts to boil, pour in all the flour at once. Take a wooden spoon and stir vigorously until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the pot. Remove the pot from the heat.

3. Let the dough cool for a few minutes. It’s important that it’s not too hot when you add the eggs.

4. When the dough is warm (not hot), add the eggs one at a time. Add one egg, mix well until fully incorporated, then continue with the next. Finally, add the baking powder and mix until smooth.

5. Prepare strips of parchment paper about 15 cm wide. Lightly oil them. Place the dough in a piping bag (or a bag with a corner cut off) and pipe small circles or mounds on each strip, leaving space between them.

6. Heat a deep pot with oil, enough to cover the doughnuts. When the oil is hot (not smoking), take each strip with dough and place it in the oil, with the side containing the doughnuts facing down. The paper should touch the oil so you can easily remove the doughnuts after a few seconds.

7. Once you see them starting to brown, carefully peel the paper from under the doughnuts using a fork or tongs. Continue frying until they are browned on both sides.

8. Remove the doughnuts onto paper towels to drain excess oil.

9. For the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with the milk and rum essence until there are no more sugar granules.

10. While the doughnuts are still slightly warm, dip them in the glaze one by one, then place them on a rack to drain.

Why I make this recipe often

It’s made with simple ingredients and doesn’t require much planning ahead. The dough doesn’t need to rise, so the whole process goes pretty quickly. Plus, the doughnuts come out fluffy and slightly crispy on the outside. They’re good even when cold, but I especially like to glaze them while they’re still warm.

Tips and variations

Tips

If the dough seems too thick after adding the eggs, don’t worry, it’s normal for it to be sticky but still flow from the piping bag.
Don’t let the oil get too hot; otherwise, they will burn on the outside and remain raw inside.
The parchment strips come off easily if you don’t leave them too long in the oil.

Substitutions

If you don’t have rum essence, you can use vanilla or omit it altogether.
The milk for the glaze can be replaced with water, but the glaze will be smoother with milk.

Variations

You can add a little lemon zest to the dough for a fresher taste.
If you want, you can shape the doughnuts into sticks or circles; the final shape doesn’t matter.
You can skip the glaze and roll them directly in powdered sugar.

Serving ideas

They pair well with cold milk, cocoa, or coffee.
They’re also great as a dessert for guests since they can be eaten quickly from the plate.

Frequently asked questions

1. What should I do if the dough is too soft?
After incorporating the eggs, the dough should be soft but hold its shape when piped. If it’s too runny, it’s often due to large eggs. You can add a little flour, but be careful not to make it too dense.

2. Can I make the doughnuts without a piping bag?
Yes, you can use a spoon to place mounds on parchment paper, but using a piping bag will make them more uniform and visually appealing.

3. What type of oil is best for frying?
Refined sunflower oil works well for frying; it doesn’t change the flavor and withstands high temperatures.

4. Can the doughnuts be baked?
The classic recipe is for frying, and the texture will be different if baked. I haven’t made them in the oven, so I can’t guarantee the result.

5. How long should I let them drain after glazing?
A few minutes on the rack is enough for the glaze to set a little and stop dripping.

Nutritional values

Estimate for one doughnut (if 14 pieces are made):

calories: approx. 95 kcal
protein: 2 g
fat: 4.5 g
carbohydrates: 12 g
These are approximate values, as they depend on the size of the doughnuts and how much oil they absorb. The glaze adds another 10-15 kcal per doughnut.

Storage and reheating

They are best eaten on the day they are made when they are fresh. If there are leftovers, you can store them in a sealed box at room temperature until the next day. They won’t be as crispy after sitting. Reheated in the microwave, they become softer, not crispy. I do not recommend storing them for more than a day.

I put water, oil, sugar, and salt to boil. When it started to bubble, I added all the flour at once. I mixed vigorously and left it on the heat until the dough pulled away from the edges of the pot. I let it cool. When the dough became warm, I added one egg at a time, and when the dough cooled down, I added the baking powder. I cut strips of baking paper 15 cm wide and greased them with oil. I put the dough in a piping bag and shaped the doughnuts on each piece of paper. I heated the oil and submerged the strips in the oil, with the side where the doughnuts are facing down. I let them fry for a bit, then gently detached them from the paper. I continued frying on both sides. I removed the doughnuts to drain on paper towels. While warm, I dipped them in the glaze (I mixed all the ingredients until the sugar completely dissolved) and let them drain on a rack. I served the doughnuts with a glass of fresh cow's milk.

 Ingredients: 100 ml water 2 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon sugar 120 g flour 3 eggs 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Glaze: 100 g powdered sugar 2 tablespoons milk rum essence

 Tags:  quick donuts