We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Food

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is a Fasnacht?

By Karize Uy
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 12,843
References
Share

Fasnacht is a type of pastry eaten during Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras as part of tradition before Easter mostly in Europe and in some American states. It is very much like a hole-less doughnut, but is traditionally shaped like a diamond or a rectangle. They can also be made plain or filled with some jam, just like round doughnuts. Fasnacht can also be spelled in various ways, such as “fastnacht”, “fassenacht,” or “faschnacht.”

Many scholars say that the word “fasnacht” means “the night before the fast,” since the doughnuts are eaten the night before Lent, when fasting is usually observed by many Christians until Easter Sunday. People believed that making fastnachts was a way to consume all the fats, such as butter and lard, kept in the house pantry, as these rich ingredients were seen as lavish and were not supposed to be eaten during the Lenten season. Some experts, however, translate the word fastnacht to mean “chamfering night,” probably in reference to how the doughnuts are cut into diamonds, creating chamfers at the sides of the pastry. The doughnuts were traced from either Germany or the Netherlands and then spread to different countries such as in Switzerland and the US. People in the states of Pennsylvania and Maryland, in particular, where many German and Dutch immigrants relocated, still eat the pastry to celebrate Mardi Gras.

For the starch, tradition calls for the use of potatoes, which are usually boiled and mashed to complete the dough, aside from incorporating some flour and yeast as well. The dough is first set aside to rise before it's divided into smaller pieces, which are then shaped and deep-fried until golden and crisp. The doughnuts usually have a slit in the middle to release the pressure and aid in even cooking. Some bakers provide a less-fattening alternative to health-conscious consumers by baking the fasnachts instead of frying them.

After frying or baking, the fasnacht can be manually filled with a jam or cream filling. Traditionally, it would usually be served either plain or with a final dusting of confectioner’s or plain white sugar. Today, this pastry can be available sugar-glazed, egg-brushed, or with a sugar-cinnamon dusting. It is best eaten warm or cold, perhaps with a cup of coffee to balance the pastry’s sweetness.

Share
DelightedCooking is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Discussion Comments
By Ceptorbi — On Mar 16, 2014

@Nefertini - I've had the pleasure of eating king cake in New Orleans. The one I had tasted like cinnamon rolls and was quite good. When I lived in Pennsylvania, you could pre-order fasnachts from your favorite bakery. Some churches also take pre-orders and make and sell this pastry for fundraisers during Fat Tuesday and the pre-Lenten season.

By Nefertini — On Mar 16, 2014

In New Orleans, they eat a special cake called a king cake to celebrate Fat Tuesday or Mardis Gras. The traditional version is a braided or twist ring-shaped pastry that is iced and decorated with traditional Mardis Gras colors of green, purple, and yellow. The baker puts a trinket inside the cake and whoever receives the piece with this trinket, which is usually a small plastic baby to represent baby Jesus but which can also be a tiny plastic king or a coin or bean, is the king or queen of the party.

Share
https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-a-fasnacht.htm
Copy this link
DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.