Weinkuechle (Wine Fritters)

Weinkuechle is German cold-weather dessert at its most comforting. Sweet rolls get sliced, dipped in an egg-milk-flour batter, and fried golden in lard, then piled into a bowl and drenched with hot sweetened wine or cider.

The fritter itself is simple, almost like a sweeter Austrian schnitzel of bread. The magic is in the soak. Hot wine (or spiced cider) pours over the warm fritters and gets absorbed straight through, leaving each slice boozy, sweet, and saturated. Let them sit a few minutes before serving so the wine pulls all the way to the center.

This is dessert to eat with a spoon in a deep bowl, on a cold evening, preferably near a fire. The wine does the heavy flavoring, so use one you’d actually drink (a fruity red or a sweet white) rather than anything labeled “cooking wine."

Kitchen Tips

• Use day-old sweet rolls if you can. Fresh rolls fall apart in the batter while stale ones hold their shape and absorb the wine more evenly.
• Heat the lard to about 350°F (175°C). Cooler oil soaks into the bread and turns the fritters greasy; hotter oil browns the outside before the middle cooks.
• Warm (don’t boil) the wine before pouring over. Boiling drives off the alcohol and turns it one-note sweet.
• Sweeten the wine to taste with sugar just before pouring. Some wines need a heavy hand, others almost none.
• Serve right away, but give the fritters a few minutes in the wine first so they soak properly.

Variations

• Use hot mulled wine with cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel for a Christmas-market vibe.
• Swap wine for hot apple cider and a cinnamon stick for a non-alcoholic family-friendly version.
• Dust the fried fritters with powdered sugar before pouring the wine for extra sweetness and a pretty finish.