I like being an Expat for the most part, but those who haven’t dipped a toe into life abroad can never underestimate the extra pressures that we find ourselves under at certain times of year (she says with tongue ever so slightly in cheek!) – such as Carnival/Karneval/Fasching/Fastelavn/Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday to give it a few global names it goes by….
Here in Bavaria they celebrate by dressing up and basically having a big street party. Munich’s not as well-known as other German cities for Karneval, but you can find smaller parades around the city, and of course there’s the Dance of the Market Frau in the Viktualienmarkt. If you happen to be in Munich, you should head there anyway…
Kids dress up for school too, and of course they absolutely cannot wear the same costumes they wore (it seems around two minutes ago) for Halloween now can they??
Fancy dress fun in the snow at The Viktualienmarkt in Munich
Thankfully as if to compensate the parents dealing with ‘discussions’ about the above, the seasonal food of choice is the mighty Karneval Krapfen (donuts) that comes in a vast array of amazing flavours and colours. There’s no slaving over a hot stove flipping pancakes here, which is probably just as well, as most people are sloshed by lunchtime which could obviously well prove dangerous in the kitchen…
In Denmark it was a little less about the dressing up (although children dress up for school), more about children hitting their parents with twigs first thing of a morning (strangely), whacking a cat out of a barrel (a little bit like a giant pinata full of sweets – I don’t think real cats have been involved for few decades now) and of course an entire spectrum of seasonal Danish Pastries otherwise known as Fastelavn Boller.
I feel like I have been harping on about Denmark a lot recently, mainly because nearly everything on TV seems to be about the place, but perhaps after a few years away could it be that my glasses are now very much rose-tinted?… Or could it be that I have a “cake calendar” in my head, and I have a subconscious alarm going off reminding me of such seasonal cakes like Fastelavn Boller, Fasching Krapfen and the like? If it’s that then the small people have it too – because as we deliberated over this year’s Karneval costumes for school (thanks very much Horror-Shop you have saved my bacon here more than once!) they both remembered Danish Fastelavn Boller, and asked if I could make them (having deduced that “it must be a bit boring at home, because the baby sleeps a lot and you aren’t working”!!)! With baby unfriendly temperatures of -16 last week this past week and actually not much else to do, we did make them, albeit a slightly smaller version…
It’s not the easiest recipe in the world, but it is a satisfying one to make, and will win you a lot of brownie points while you are still deliberating over Fasching costumes! This time around I made them with a custard filling, chocolate icing on top, and no smarties – as they are much too babyish apparently! I might miss the donuts when we leave here, as much as I miss the Danish fastelavn boller (there might have to be a Krapfen post somewhere down the line), but I definitely won’t miss the extra obligatory fancy dress requests…
Mini Karneval Danish Pastries (makes 12-16)
Dough:
12.5g fresh yeast;
75ml lukewarm water;
1 small egg beaten;
half tablespoon caster sugar;
pinch of salt;
350g plain wheat flour;
125g cold butter, sliced wafer thin.
Custard:
1 Vanilla Pod;
125ml single cream;
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp caster sugar;
3/4 tbsp cornflour.
In a food mixer bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the egg, sugar and salt and stir gently. Switching the machine on add the flour and mix until the dough comes together and doesn’t stick to the sides. Turn out and knead for a few minutes until no longer sticky. Put back in the bowl and place in the fridge and leave to rise for 15 minutes. Roll out the dough into a 35cm square. Spread the slices of butter over the dough, and fold the corners of the square into the middle to make another square. Roll into a rectangle shape. Next fold the top and bottom thirds of the dough in to the middle like a business letter. Carefully roll out the dough into a rectangle again and do the business letter fold. Refrigerate for 15mins. Repeat this rolling and folding process 3 or 4 times, refrigerating in between.
In the meantime make the custard. Pour the cream into a pan and scrape the vanilla seeds into it. Bring to the boil. In a bowl beat together the sugar and egg yolks until pale and fluffy, whisk in the cornflour. Pour the egg mixture into the cream, and over a very low heat whisk until it starts to thicken (adding a tiny bit more cornflour if necessary). Don’t leave it, or it will catch. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Roll the dough out to 35cm square and cut into four rows of four. In the middle of each square put a couple of teaspoons of custard and fold the corners of the square over the top, pinching the sides together, and forming into a ball as below. Be very careful not to leave any sides unsealed or the filling will leak out. Place smooth side up on a baking tray and cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for half an hour at room temperature.
Heat over to 225°C. Brush each pastry with a little beaten egg and bake for 12-15 minutes, leaving to cool on a wire rack. When it comes to toppings the world’s your oyster, you could melt chocolate, or use a little icing sugar, cocoa powder and mix together with a drop of boiling water. Best eaten as soon as possible, if they even last that long…
This is a collaborative post
clara@expatpartnersurvival.com says
These look so good….I am tempted to try making them but I just know it will be a disaster! I think we can get all the ingredients here though so I might give it a go….
Emma says
If I can make them you can! Definitely worth dedicating a rainy Saturday to, good luck! :)
Seychellesmama says
Mmmm I don’t even like custard but these still sound delicious!!
Love the idea of an internal cake calendar haha, mine is currently set to need cake every day….not ideal!!!!!
Well done for making these with baby because I too am currently “not doing anything” at home and I’m impressed if I manage to whip up a batch of cookies let alone anything complicated like this! We are also on unfriendly baby weather, but at he opposite end of the scale…..sweaty baby central here!
Thanks for sharing with #myexpatfamily
Emma says
Thank you! Will be over shortly to comment on #myexpatfamily :) Hope you manage to keep cool! (:
Trish - Mum's Gone to says
These are far too complicated for me but look delicious. The top photo shows yummy pastries too – why can’t our Danish pastries have large dollops of cream on them too?
Took me a while to realise those flowers were hats – I thought it was just a close up of some pink blooms!
Emma says
Thanks Trish! Because they are special carnival Danish pastries of course! :D Nope, crazy carnival hats!
Kara says
This looks like such a fun festival and those danish pastries look amazing!
Emma says
Thanks Kara! (:
Cass@frugalfamily says
Oh my goodness – they look delicious!
I could just eat one (or five) of those right now x
Emma says
I will put the oven on… :D
Alice Project: Wanderlust says
Love the term ‘cake calendar’ – these look amazing!!
Emma says
Thanks Alice! :)
Kizzy says
This look delicious. I think I need to bookmark this to try out another day.
Emma says
Thanks Kizzy! :)
Sarah Ebner says
Oh, I really shouldn’t have read this post! Those are exactly the kind of pastries I absolutely love. I am salivating now…..I kind of fancy a trip abroad just to find them and eat as many as possible :)
Emma says
Denmark’s not too far away! :D
Jen says
I have just finished the Year of living Danishly and with this all I want to do is move there!
Emma says
Thanks Jen. I got that book for Christmas! :D
Karen Langridge says
Thank you for sharing the recipe, they look delicious, I will have to print it out for hubbie, he is the official baker in the house! I tend to burn everything x
Emma says
Let me know how he gets on! Thanks Karen! :)
Helen Neale says
This is awesome. Always wanted to make Danish pastries and this looks like an easy recipe. Thanks!
Emma says
It’s not too bad, just time consuming more than anything else! Thanks Helen! :)
angela hamilton says
oh my goodness they look and sound amazing!! I have bookmarked this page so I can find the recipe. I will certainly be giving these a try x
Emma says
Thanks Angela! (:
Lucy Dorrington says
I want cake now, but I have never been much good at making anything involving yeast! Such a shame you don’t deliver… :-)
Emma says
One day maybe! :D Thanks Lucy…
Ness @ JibberJabberUK says
Having to make an Easter bonnet for school seems quite tame compared to what other countries get up to throughout the year! I love the look of Karneval pastries but I’m not sure I’ve got the skill to make them!
Emma says
If I can make them, you can! Thanks Ness! :)
Michelle Twin Mum says
The doughnuts look fun but i think I’ll stick with the pancakes! Mich x
Emma says
Much more speedy! Thanks Mich! :)x