cruller

{{Infobox food

| name = Cruller

| image = Cinnamon twist.jpg

| caption = Iced "cinnamon twist" cruller

| alternative_name = Twister

}}

A cruller ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|r|ʌ|l|ər}}) is a deep-fried pastry popular in parts of Europe and North America. In Europe it is typically either made of a string of dough that is folded over and twisted twice to create its signature shape or is formed from a rectangle of dough with a cut in the center allowing it to be pulled over and through itself to produce distinctive twists in the sides of the pastry. In North America, it is typically a form of cake doughnut made in a small loaf or simple stick shape or, in the case of the "French cruller", extruded in a ring from choux pastry.

Crullers are typically topped with cinnamon sugar, dipped in plain icing, or served plain.

History

File:klenater.jpg, a traditional cruller shape, rectangular with two twisted sides]]

The name cruller comes from the early 19th-century Dutch {{lang|nl|kruller}}, from {{lang|nl|krullen}} 'to curl'. In northern Germany they are known as {{lang|de|hirschhörner}} ('deer horns'). In Scandinavia, these types of crullers are common at Christmas. They are traditionally baked on New Year's Eve as a family project, with the children doing the labor-intensive shaping and the grown-ups handling the deep frying.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}} In Danish they are known as klejner and in Swedish as klenäter, both names deriving from Low German.

In the United States, crullers were introduced in the late 18th and early 19th centuries by Pennsylvania Dutch settlers, and became popular in regions with large German populations.{{cite web|url=http://www.gojefferson.com/banner/opinion/foust/cruller/index.html|author=John Foust|title=Midwestern Crullers|work=www.gojefferson.com|access-date=24 June 2017}} The Milwaukee-style cruller, for example, is a loaf-shaped glazed cake doughnut with a crunchy exterior.{{cite news |last1=Nowakowski |first1=Audrey |title=Cruller Or Kruller? However You Spell It, It's A Milwaukee Doughnut Staple |url=https://www.wuwm.com/arts-culture/2019-02-22/cruller-or-kruller-however-you-spell-it-its-a-milwaukee-doughnut-staple |access-date=11 December 2024 |work=WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPR |date=22 February 2019 |language=en}}

The term "Chinese cruller" is occasionally applied to the youtiao ({{zh|s=油条}}), a similar-looking fried dough food eaten in East and Southeast Asia.{{cite web|url=https://www.thespruce.com/traditional-chinese-breakfast-694158|title=If You Want a New Breakfast Idea, Then Go Chinese!|publisher=The Spruce|author=Rhonda Parkinson|date=May 3, 2017|access-date=24 June 2017}} The term cruller is also associated with the mahua ({{zh|s=麻花}}),"crullers". Youdao dictionary. Accessed August 1, 2013. a type of twisted fried dough much denser and sweeter than youtiao.

The "Aberdeen crulla" is a traditional Scottish pastry made in the same way as the rectangular, plaited cruller of New England.F. Marian McNiell, "The Scots Kitchen", It is first attested in Edinburgh in 1829 and is thought to copied from the 'cruller' of the United States according to the Scottish National Dictionary (1931–1976).{{cite web |url=http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/crulla |title=Crulla n. |author= |date=2004 |website=Dictionary of the Scots Language – Dictionar o the Scots Leid |publisher=Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. |access-date=15 November 2018}} Distinct from this, the "yum-yum" is a commonly available treat in the United Kingdom, which resembles a straightened French cruller coated in thin glacé icing.{{clear}}

French cruller

{{Infobox food

| name = French cruller

| image = File:French-Cruller-Donut.jpg

| caption = A light and airy French cruller

| alternate_name = Spritzkuchen
Chouxnut

| type = Pastry/Doughnut

}}

A French cruller is a light airy, fluted, ring-shaped glazed doughnut extruded from choux pastry.{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Patti |url=https://archive.org/details/justkids00smit/page/111 |title=Just Kids |publisher=Ecco |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-06-621131-2 |location=New York, New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/justkids00smit/page/111 111] |url-access=registration}} The name likely refers to the use of the French choux dough, with the actual origin of the pastry being German or Dutch, and was popularized in the United States by Dunkin' Donuts.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-01 |title=What Are Cruller Donuts (And Where Do They Come From)? |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/cruller-donuts-where-come-161559266.html |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=Yahoo Life |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Galarza |first=Daniela |date=2015-05-28 |title=Everything You Need to Know About the Great American Doughnut |url=https://www.eater.com/2015/5/28/8672939/doughnut-guide-cake-yeast-cruller-donut-history |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=Eater |language=en}} When filled, they are often referred to as a chouxnut.{{cite web |last1=Gregory |first1=Zola |title=Chouxnuts Give Crullers a Glazed Glow Up |url=https://tastecooking.com/chouxnuts-give-crullers-a-glazed-glow-up/ |website=TASTE |access-date=11 December 2024 |date=13 July 2022}}

The French cruller is similar to the German Spritzkuchen ({{Translation|extruded cake|literal=yes}}), which is traditionally made from choux pastry that is piped onto parchment and then deep fried. It dates back to 18th century Nuremberg,{{Cite book |last=Sincerus |first=Alexius |title=Der wolbestanden Becker |publisher=Husum Verlagsgesellschaft |year=1713 |isbn=978-3-89876-230-4 |edition=6th |location=Husum |publication-date=2013 |pages=75 |language=de}} but became associated with Eberswalde in the 19th century.{{Cite book |last=Schlaak |first=Marina |title=Zeitzeichen, Eberswalde – Geschichte und Geschichten |publisher=Stadtverwaltung Eberswalde |year=2003 |isbn=3-9805947-3-4 |location=Eberswalde |language=de}} It is said to have originated as part of carnival celebrations that take place before Lent to use up supplies of animal fats so they would not spoil and go to waste.{{cite book |last=Hassani |first=Nadia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=93hWz3yOoj0C&pg=PA130 |title=Spoonfuls of Germany: Culinary Delights of the German Regions in 170 Recipes |year=2004 |isbn=9780781810579}}

Availability

Crullers are most commonly found in Canada, New England, the Mid-Atlantic and North Central states of the United States; they are also common in California.{{cn|date=January 2024}} The German origin is probably why traditional crullers can be found more easily in the Midwest, where many German immigrants settled. Some family-owned bakeries still call them "krullers."

In 2003, the Dunkin' Donuts chain of doughnut shops stopped carrying traditional crullers, claiming that the hand-shaped rectangular treats were too labor-intensive, and couldn't be simulated with new machines for mixing doughnut batter.

In its place some, of the chain’s franchises offered a simplified, machine-made rectangular version called a "cake stick".{{Cite web|url=http://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/menu/donuts.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201111043/http://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/menu/donuts.html|url-status=dead|title=Dunkin' Donuts Product List|archive-date=1 February 2012}}

As of 2003, the company still sold "French crullers",Joseph P. Kahn, [http://archive.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2003/10/25/with_progress_a_cruel_twist/ "With Progress, a Cruel Twist"], Boston Globe, 25 October 2003. which can be formed by a kind of extruding nozzle{{cite patent |country=US |number=3396677 |status=patent |title=Shaped doughnut cutting device |pubdate=Aug 13, 1968 |gdate= |fdate=Jun 3, 1966 |pridate=Jun 3, 1966 |inventor=Adams Floyd N, Cooper Victor D, Sommers John E |assign1= Dca Food Ind|assign2= |class= |url=http://www.google.com/patents/US3396677}} similar to the way choux pastry is piped.

French crullers have been gaining popularity in the UK, Australia, and the USA, with specific mentions of Cardabelle in the UK, Moon Cruller in Australia, and Deli Provision in the USA. In the southeastern U.S., French crullers are a fresh-baked everyday bakery item at many donut shops and grocery stores.{{cn|date=January 2024}} In 1973, the French cruller became available in Mister Donut stores in Japan.{{cite web |title=History of Mister Donut |url=http://www.misterdonut.jp/museum/history/index.html |access-date=February 12, 2016 |publisher=misterdonut.jp |language=ja}}

Tim Hortons[http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/menu/donuts.php Tim Hortons Snacks & Baked Goods] and Honey Dew Donuts{{Cite web|url=https://www.honeydewdonuts.com/menu/item/French-Cruller|title=French Cruller | Honey Dew Donuts|website=www.honeydewdonuts.com|access-date=17 December 2019|archive-date=17 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217214900/https://www.honeydewdonuts.com/menu/item/French-Cruller|url-status=dead}} sell only the French cruller, not crullers. Krispy Kreme{{cite web|url=http://www.krispykreme.com/menu/Doughnuts/Glazed-Cruller|title=Glazed Cruller|work=krispykreme.com|access-date=19 June 2015}} sell a similar doughnut the company refers to as a cruller, but is a molded/formed cake doughnut.

References

External links

{{wikt-inline}}

Category:Carnival foods

Category:American doughnuts

Category:German-American cuisine

Category:Canadian doughnuts

Category:German pastries