Räderkuchen ("wheel cakes") were my Mom's emergency dessert, especially when unexpected company dropped in. Deep fried and covered in cinnamon-sugar, these were a little taste of heaven.
The taste? Like homemade doughnuts. Best served warm, but they store well too.
Mom could make these in minutes. The dough was just mixed together, rolled out, formed, and then fried.
Make two kinds by rolling some in a cinnamon/sugar mixture and the other in just sugar. Or, roll them in icing sugar instead, just before serving.
Räderkuchen
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. sugar
3 eggs
3 tbsp. milk
2 cups flour, all-purpose
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups lard for frying
sugar, cinnamon, icing sugar as desired
Instructions:
Mix first 6 ingredients together to make dough.
Roll dough out, about 3/8 inch thick.
Cut into strips, about 1 1/4 inches wide and 3 1/2 inches long.
About 1/2 inch from one end of the strip, cut a 1 inch long slot. Pull the long end of the strip through the slot to form a type of curled shape.
Heat lard in a deep pot. When bubbles are formed at the end of a wooden spoon when it is inserted into the fat, it is ready to cook the cakes.
Gently put one layer of cakes into the hot fat and cook until golden brown. (turn them when you see that the edge is golden).
Remove cakes, put onto a paper-towel covered plate to drain the fat. While still hot, roll them in sugar.
Hints:
If desired, mix some cinnamon with some sugar and roll cakes in this.
