Krofne are a fried, airy doughnut very common to the Balkan countries. Round and mini, they can be filled with jam, chocolate, Nutella or custard cream but I like mine airy and dusted in powdered sugar.
They remind me of being a kid again and the excitement you feel when you smell the dough hitting the oil, and trying to find the doughnut with the most amount of powdered sugar. Available as a street food, getting a bag of these was such a treat, I hope this recipe takes you back to the fairs of your childhood dreams!
Are they just another name for “doughnuts”?
No, not exactly. Krofne are very small in comparison and bite size. We will knead and shape them into small balls before frying. This makes them easier in shaping, as well as consuming. These also are served as a good luck token during the New Year, and I don’t know of any other doughnut that can boast that! So enjoy these mini treats and may they bring you good luck.
I love to serve these on checkered sheets for a carnival, or kid-like, touch: Combo pack of 50 deli checkered sheets or Combo pack of 100 checkered paper sheets.
Krofne (Doughnuts)
Ingredients
- 5–1/2 cups bread flour
- 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 cups milk
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 quart oil for frying
- 1 packet of vanilla sugar to add to sugar (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup warm milk (110F), yeast and pinch of sugar and let it rest until fluffy.
- Heat remaining 1.5 cups milk until lukewarm.
- Sift flour.
- In a mixer bowl start mixing eggs, add oil, lemon zest, sugar and then add milk.
- Add 2 cups of flour, mix.
- Add salt.
- Start adding remaining flour and keep mixing until dough forms a ball.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel and leave to rise until doubled.
- Punch the dough down and let it rise one more time, until doubled again.
- Transfer to a floured surface and stretch with a rolling pin to about 1/2 inch thick.
- Cut rounds using a cookie cutter, let it sit uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Pour about 1 quart of oil in a deep pot and heat. Make sure it is not too hot. You can check by using a wooden spoon handle- dip into the oil and bubbles should start to form around the spoon. Your oil is now ready to use.
- Add a few donuts at a time. The top of the donuts while were rising should be on the bottom side when put into hot oil.
- Once the donuts are lightly brown turn so the other side gets fried.
- If you want your donuts to have a white line in the middle, you need to cover a pot with a lid after turning them.
- Remove to a tray.
- Dust with powdered sugar mixed with one bag of vanilla sugar.
Looking for more doughnut content? Donut worry 😉 we have you covered:
The Doughnut Project – Minas Bakery
The Cronut Craze – Minas Bakery
Donut mess with the “Dough”nuts – Minas Bakery