Sauerkraut-Schnecken (sauerkraut swirls)
Units
Temperature
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
- 400 g flour rounded
- 7 g instant yeast rounded
- 220 ml milk, lukewarm rounded
- 8 g fine salt rounded
- 30 g butter, softened rounded
- 30 ml milk, for brushing rounded
Filling
- 500 g sauerkraut, drained and squeezed dry rounded
- 100 g onion, finely chopped rounded
- 20 ml neutral oil rounded
- 5 g caraway seeds rounded
- to taste freshly ground black pepper rounded
Method
Method
- Whisk the flour, yeast and salt together. Add the lukewarm milk and mix to a rough dough. Knead in the butter for 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes, until doubled.
- Meanwhile, squeeze the sauerkraut firmly to remove excess liquid, then squeeze again. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 4 minutes, then add the sauerkraut and caraway. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the remaining liquid has evaporated and the mixture looks dry rather than wet. Season with pepper. Let cool.
- Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 5 mm thick. Spread the cooled sauerkraut filling evenly over the surface, leaving a small border.
- Roll up tightly from one long edge. Slice into 10 pieces. Arrange cut-side up on a baking sheet, spaced apart.
- Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C (fan).
- Brush the swirls with milk. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until deeply golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
Notes
- Cook the sauerkraut down until it looks genuinely dry, not just warmed through. Sauerkraut straight from the jar carries a lot of liquid; spread it wet onto the dough and it soaks straight in, leaving the swirls gummy instead of holding their tight spiral shape.
- Squeeze the sauerkraut before cooking, not just after. Squeezing first speeds up how quickly the remaining liquid cooks off, so you’re not standing over the pan for twice as long.
- Roll the dough up tightly. A loose roll leaves gaps where the filling can shift and the swirl loses definition once baked and sliced.
- These are best fresh but reheat well in a low oven for a few minutes.
Ingredient substitutions
- A few slices of smoked bacon, cooked with the onion, is a traditional non-vegetarian addition.
- Caraway is classic with sauerkraut; it can be reduced or left out if you don’t care for its flavour.
- A little grated cheese sprinkled over before the final rise adds a savoury crust.