Quarkbällchen (Nautzen) (fried quark balls)
Small fried quark dough balls, also known regionally as Nautzen, the batter made deliberately thick and dropped straight from a spoon into moderate oil rather than shaped by hand, since a stiff, wet batter puffs into an irregular, craggy shape that fries up far crisper than a smooth, hand-rolled ball ever does. Frying at a careful moderate temperature is what cooks these through to the centre before the outside darkens too far.
Prep15 min
Cook25 min
Servings4
Christoph's Quarkbällchen, the batter dropped from a spoon rather than hand-shaped for an irregular, craggy shape that fries up extra crisp.
Ingredients
Written for a 3 L pot
Units
Temperature
Servings
Quark balls
- 300 g quark rounded
- 2 eggs rounded
- 250 g flour rounded
- 60 g sugar rounded
- 10 g baking powder rounded
- 2 g fine salt rounded
- 1 L neutral oil, for frying rounded
- 60 g sugar, for rolling rounded
- 5 g ground cinnamon, for rolling (optional) rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Whisk the quark and eggs together in a bowl until smooth.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a separate bowl. Fold into the wet mixture until just combined into a thick, sticky batter.
- Heat the oil in a wide pot to a moderate frying temperature, around 170 to 175°C.
- Drop rounded spoonfuls of batter directly into the hot oil, frying in batches. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly golden brown and cooked through.
- Drain on paper towel. While still warm, roll in the sugar, or the sugar-cinnamon mix if using.
Notes
- Drop the batter from a spoon rather than shaping it into smooth balls by hand. The irregular, craggy surface this creates fries up considerably crisper than a smooth ball, which tends to fry evenly but blandly.
- Keep the oil at a careful, moderate temperature. Too hot browns the outside before the thick batter cooks through, leaving a raw, wet centre; too cool and the balls absorb oil and turn greasy.
- Test the oil with a small spoonful of batter before frying the full batch. It should sizzle steadily and rise within a few seconds.
- Best eaten warm, freshly fried and rolled in sugar, since they lose their appeal once cold.
Ingredient substitutions
- A dusting of powdered sugar instead of granulated is a simpler finish.
- A pinch of lemon zest in the batter is a common addition.
- Serve with a fruit compote or jam for dipping.
From Christoph Mayer