Krapfen at Carnival: South Tyrol Traditional Fried Doughnut

Not all regions celebrate Carnival by frying fritters, chiacchiere or castagnole. There is one in particular – South Tyrol (Alto Adige / Südtirol) – where Carnival is traditionally linked to krapfen!

In South Tyrol, the Austro-Tyrolean influence is very strong, and the symbolic Carnival pastry is the Krapfen, a close relative of the German Berliner. These are fried doughnuts, soft and well risen, traditionally filled with apricot jam, and they can be found everywhere from January until Carnival: bakeries, pastry shops, mountain huts and village festivals.

The famous Carnival pastry called "Chiacchiere" can certainly be found as well, but they are not the main Carnival symbol (and are often more closely linked to fairs, markets or specific local traditions): the true king of Carnival in South Tyrol is the krapfen!

Technical insight

What exactly is a krapfen? It is a leavened fried pastry, soft and fragrant, round and well puffed, with a light-colored central ring (a sign of proper proofing and frying), and it is filled after frying.

Traditionally, the dough is rich yet well balanced and includes:

• flour
• eggs
• sugar
• butter (or other fats)
• yeast
• delicate flavorings (lemon, vanilla)

To simplify preparation and processing, our range includes a balanced base mix called KRAFEL, easy and quick to use, without sacrificing the classic goodness of this delicious fried pastry.

Here is the recipe:

• balanced base mix
• yeast
• eggs
• water

Would you like to see the KRAFEL product sheet? Click here.

Frying must be clean and dry, without excessive oil absorption: a good krapfen should be light, never greasy.

The traditional filling is only one: apricot jam, and not by chance, as its acidity perfectly balances the sweetness of the fried dough. Custard, chocolate and pistachio are more modern variations (delicious, but not “orthodox”).

In summary, a “proper” krapfen has:

• generous volume with a regular structure
• soft, stringy crumb, never gummy
• no oily aftertaste
• well-balanced filling (neither excessive nor insufficient)

Origins and name

The term “krapfen” is of German origin, and remains unchanged in Italian, and was already used in the Middle Ages to refer to fried pastries.

It is closely related to the Berliner Pfannkuchen (Germany), the Faschingskrapfen (Austria), and ultimately to the Italian bombolone.

Why it is the Carnival pastry in South Tyrol

Like all great traditional fried sweets, it was originally created to use up eggs, butter and sugar before Lent (as discussed in this article: Carnival: masks and fried sweets ).

It is an energy-rich and satisfying pastry, perfect for the cold Alpine winter, and deeply connected to the strong Austro-Tyrolean influence that characterizes this region.