VegetarianAlpine Italian cuisine Desserts

Strauben Trentine

Name: Strauben Trentine
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Alpine Italian
Ingredients: 200 g Plain flour; 200 ml Whole milk; 2 large Eggs; 30 g Unsalted butter; 25 ml trentino grappa; 1 pinch Fine sea salt; 500 ml sunflower oil; 30 g icing sugar; 120 g lingonberry jam

Crisp, spiralled Alpine batter fritters dusted with icing sugar and served with tart mountain jam. Known as Strauben in Trentino and South Tyrol, from the German word for ruffled.

🇮🇹Italy· Trentino-Alto Adige

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 30 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 420 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

200 g Plain flour — sifted
200 ml Whole milk — room temperature
2 large Eggs — separated
30 g Unsalted butter — melted and cooled
25 ml trentino grappa — traditional Alpine pomace brandy
1 pinch Fine sea salt
500 ml sunflower oil — for deep frying
30 g icing sugar — for dusting
120 g lingonberry jam — confettura di mirtilli rossi, tart mountain cranberry

Equipment

•deep frying pan
•confectionery funnel or spouted jug
•wire whisk
•slotted spider or tongs
•paper towels

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 420 kcal
fat: 18 g
carbs: 54 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 420 kcal

Instructions

1
Whisk the egg yolks, milk, melted butter, grappa, and salt together in a large bowl until smooth.
2
Whisk in the flour gradually until you have a thick, lump-free batter.
3
Beat the egg whites in a separate clean bowl until stiff peaks form.
4
Fold the beaten egg whites gently into the batter using a spatula until fully incorporated.
5
Heat 2 to 3 cm of oil in a deep frying pan to 175 degrees C.
6
Pour a ladle of batter through a funnel into the hot oil, moving in a continuous spiral from the outside inward.
7
Fry for about 2 minutes until the underside is golden and crisp.
8
Flip the spiral carefully using two spatulas and fry the second side for another 1 to 2 minutes.
9
Lift the fritter with a slotted spider and drain thoroughly on paper towels.
10
Dust generously with icing sugar, top the centre with a spoonful of lingonberry jam, and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

The grappa is not just for flavour; the alcohol prevents the batter from absorbing excess frying oil. Ensure the oil stays at 175 degrees C so the spirals puff rapidly without turning greasy. If using a funnel, hold your finger over the spout until you are positioned over the oil.

Ingredient substitutions

Trentino grappa → apple schnapps or white rum
lingonberry jam → redcurrant or tart sour cherry jam

Storage

Strauben are best eaten immediately as they lose their crispness quickly; do not store or refrigerate.

Reheating

Reheating is not recommended, but you can warm leftovers briefly in an oven at 180 degrees C for 4 minutes.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Frying in cold oil, which makes the batter heavy and soggy.
•Pouring the spiral too slowly, causing the batter strands to break apart rather than mesh together.
•Skipping the egg white whipping, resulting in a dense rather than airy fritter.