Berliner (pastry)

Berliner (pastry)

A Berliner Pfannkuchen (also called Berliner Ballen or Krapfen in Germany, fánk in Hungary, Bola de Berlim in Portugal, berliininmunkki in Finland, sufganiyah in Israel, kobliha in the Czech Republic, šiška in Slovakia, berlinesas in Mexico, berlinerbolle in Norway bola de fraile in Argentina, bombolone in Italy, Berlinerbol in the Netherlands, and bismark in Canada and parts of the United States) is a predominantly German and Central European doughnut (without a central hole) made from sweet yeast dough fried in fat or oil, with a marmalade or jam filling and usually icing, powdered sugar or conventional sugar on top. They are sometimes made with chocolate, champagne, custard, mocha, or advocaat filling, or with no filling at all. The filling is injected with a large syringe after the pastry is fried.

The traditional Pfannkuchen made in Berlin are fried in lard. The filling is related to the topping: Plum-butter - powdered sugar; raspberry, strawberry and cherry jam - sugar; all other fillings - sugar icing.

Today they can be purchased throughout the year, but their origin was a special pastry for New Year's Eve. In Berlin it is a common joke at a New Year's Eve party to offer one Pfannkuchen filled with mustard.