Fried Sweet Dough | Kvašeni Flancati

In Slovenian we call this delicious Fried Sweet Dough —> Kvašeni Flancati. They are also known as; fanke, fonke, poderane gače, pogača, trešče. They can be enjoyed savoury or sweet. My personal favourite is to sprinkle them with icing sugar (powder) on top. You can also enjoy them with your favourite jam or with sour cream dip on the side.

Watch step by step directions here: https://youtu.be/wyQqonnQdRo

Ingredients

• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 4 1/2 tsp’s yeast or 2 packages active dry yeast or 42g fresh yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 1 cup (full fat) yogurt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 packages vanilla sugar or 2 tsp’s vanilla extract
• 4 tsp’s baking powder or 1 package of Dr Oetker baking powder
• 4 x egg yolks
• 3 Tablespoons rum (I use Stroh 54 Austrian Rum, when I don’t have Dana Domači Rum)
• 1 Tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 lemon, zested
• Sunflower oil or canola oil for frying

Directions

1. Over a double boiler, beat yolks, sugar and vanilla sugar until you get a nice pale yellow consistency - set aside
2. In a cup or small bowl, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk - about 10 minutes to activate. ***do not use HOT milk, you can kill the yeast **** do not use cold milk as it will take much longer for your dough to rise
3. In mixing bowl sift the flour. Make a "well in the centre", sprinkle the salt around the "well" *you do not want the yeast and salt to touch.
4. Add the egg yolk mixture to the "well", then the yeast, yogurt, rum, vanilla extract, baking powder, and lemon zest.
5. Begin kneading the dough, either by hand or with a stand up mixer. Add the Tablespoon of softened butter, as you begin mixing the dough. Knead for approximately 10 minutes, until you get a nice soft, smooth dough. If the dough, after about 5 minutes, seems really sticky, add a Tablespoon of flour at a time. If the dough looks dry, add a couple Tablespoons of lukewarm milk - until you get a nice smooth dough.
6. Cover the dough in a bowl. Place bowl in a warm place, away from window or draft. Allow to rest and rise - About an hour
7. Sprinkle a tablecloth with flour. Drop the dough onto the floured tablecloth, roll out the dough to about 1.5cm in thickness. Cut into rectangles, then cut 1 or 2 diagonal lines in the centre of each rectangle.
8. Lay them out on the tablecloth. Cover them up and let them rise for about an hour maximum.
9. Heat up oil in a deep pot. You will need enough oil in the pot to allow the dough to float and not touching the bottom of the pot.
10. I strongly recommend using a thermometer. I like to keep the oil between 155-165 degrees (closer to 155 degrees).
11. Start by placing the dough into the hot oil, first with the top side down. Cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, remove lid, flip to the other side and fry without the lid for another minute or so. Remove and place on a cooling rack or a dish lined with paper towel. 12. Sprinkle with icing powder before serving. You can also spread with your favourite jam or sour cream dip on the side.

*Makes around 25 "Flancati"

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I hope this recipe becomes a new favourite for you and your family. If you make something and post it on social media, please tag #sloveniankitchen or @slovenska_kuhinja so I can see it on Facebook and Instagram too! 

Lots of love, 

Michelle Pušič Ryall XO