“Schnuraus” biscuits – the thanks for a good alpine summer“

“Oh child, when I was a dairywoman up on the alpine pasture, that was my favourite task - baking the Schnuraus biscuits for the down.” Right now I’m at my grandma’s house and we’re reminiscing about herding the cows from the alpine pasture back down to the valley every year in autumn. My gran explains that Schnuraus were traditional biscuits baked to give thanks for a good alpine summer. Even today Schnuraus are handed out to the onlookers of this fascinating spectacle and undoubtedly my personal culinary highlight in autumn. In addition to this culinary highlight I love hiking in the autumn. The alpine landscape is so colourful and as the cows and most of the alpine hut owners are back down in the valley, there’s a pleasant feeling of peace and quiet on the mountain.“Grandma, can you remember how you made Schnuraus biscuits and can we make them at home?“, I ask hopefully. “I’ll never forget the recipe, my child and of course we can bake them in our kitchen”, my gran answers with a grin. Two minutes later we’re standing in her kitchen and our Schnuraus production can begin.

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 kg coarse grained flour
  • 1/4 l milk
  • cooking fat
  • 2 tablespoon of sugar
  • 1 cube of yeast
  • a little salt
  • 1 egg
Mix 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, the yeast and 3 tablespoons of lukewarm milk to make a mound of dough – leave to rest in warm place – until it has doubled in size (around 15 minutes).
Add the remaining ingredients (lukewarm) and knead thoroughly until the dough blisters.

Leave to rest for a good hour in a warm place.

Afterwards cut the dough into pieces, form the pieces into a roll and cut into small, round, thumb-size pieces.
Then deep-fry until golden brown. After deep-frying drain the Schnuraus off a little.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and the Schnuraus are ready to be munched – and they taste better fresh – well, that’s my opinion anyway.
Photo credits: Katja Eggenhofer