[Advertisement]

Backstube Wuensche Kuecherl Kirchweih Auszogne 2-2

Here the Kücherl, aka Auszogne, go into the fat.

Church fair 2020 with the Kücherl from the Wünsche bakery – In this post, I'll introduce you to the Kücherl (a type of sweet pastry) from the Wünsche bakery. The occasion is today's Kirchweih (church fair), which in Bavaria traditionally takes place on the third Sunday in October. A fresh Kücherl dusted with powdered sugar is a traditional part of the festivities. I'll explain the Kirchweih, why freshly baked Kücherl are eaten at the fair, and why they're also called Schmalznudel or Auszogne – Kücherl tasting included, of course.

Church consecration – origin and background

In our tradition, the church consecration is the act of the festive dedication of a church. Traditionally, on this day the church premises are handed over to the parish and the liturgical use of the space begins – meaning that church services, masses, and the like then take place in the church.

Backstube Wuensche Kuecherl Kirchweih Auszogne 5

Mmmmmh! Cakes with fresh powdered sugar dusting.

The traditional church consecration festival takes place annually. It honors the anniversary, specifically the consecration of the church. In Germany, in addition to church consecration festival, it is also called a fair or kermis; in Austria, South Tyrol, and Old Bavaria, it is also known as a church day. If the original date of a church consecration is unknown to the church, the festival is not simply canceled, but is often moved to All Saints' Day. Since people, whether in the city or the countryside, have always enjoyed participating in the respective celebrations since the beginning of the established church consecration festival, these festivities eventually became too excessive in the eyes of the church – also because each church celebrated its consecration festival on a different date. Thus, the traditional "village church consecration" was replaced by a central date in autumn for all churches. However, not all of Bavaria has adopted October 3rd as the date for church consecration; Würzburg, for example, celebrates on the second Sunday in November. However, in most parts of Bavaria, the church consecration takes place on the "general Bavarian church day", the third Sunday in October, which this year falls on October 18th.

Backstube Wuensche Kuecherl Kirchweih Auszogne 8

Do you also love eating Auszogne?

Kücherl, Auszogne or Schmalznudel? (…and what they mean)

As you can probably imagine, the church fair (Kirchweih) has always brought with it a wealth of traditions and rituals – often with historical background and origins, but nowadays frequently just for the amusement of those present and the fairgoers. From the traditional pig roast to the bear-driving contest and the church fair dance, there's plenty to experience. The church fair meal remains a tradition to this day, and so in Bavaria – besides Christmas – the most roast ducks and geese are consumed at the church fair. In Franconia, they serve horseradish-crusted beef with dumplings, and in Coburg, slices of roast beef.

The clear winner when it comes to Bavarian church fair traditions is the Kücherl, which goes by countless different names. Some call it Kirchweihnudel, Kücherl or Küchla, Auszogne, Krapfen, or Schmalznudel. But they all refer to the same thing: a round yeast pastry with sugar, deep-fried in clarified butter. Mmmmmmh! Luckily, life is smiling on me again, and the bakery Wünsche, right next to my apartment, has delicious Kücherl. They're available until Carnival, so I immediately went and got myself a fresh Auszogne.

Backstube Wuensche Kuecherl Kirchweih Auszogne 1

This is how the cakes are presented in the counter. If you wish, they will be dusted with powdered sugar for you.

The delicious pastries from the Wünsche bakery

With two "Auszognen" (a type of Bavarian pastry) in my bag, I headed home – my luggage brimming with information about the "Kücherl" from the Wünsche bakery. My first question, of course, was how the "Kücherl" are made. Step one involves preparing a high-quality yeast dough, which, after kneading and resting, is divided into appropriate portions. The "Kücherl" are then shaped, or "stretched," by hand. This step is where the "Kücherl," also known as "Auszognen," get their name. Afterward, the still-raw yeast dough is cooked in a deep fryer. Once cooked, they are removed from the fat and, after cooling, are ready to be dusted with powdered sugar. In this way, approximately 4,000 "Kücherl" are produced daily at the Wünsche bakery during each "Kücherl season" – all made with a great deal of love, of course. Oh yes… also interesting: The Kücherl (a type of German pastry) have been among the absolute favorites and perennial bestsellers at the Wünsche bakery counter for almost 20 years. I can certainly understand why. 😉

Since I travel a lot and often pass by Wünsche bakeries, I immediately inquired whether their delicious cakes were available for purchase at each of their nearly 290 branches. And yes, during the season, which runs until the start of Carnival, these delicious cakes are available at every bakery.

Don't miss this highlight and grab some Kücherl, Schmalznudeln, Auszognen or whatever you prefer to call them with your loved ones – you're sure to enjoy them no matter what name you use. 😉 Finally, if you'd like to see how an Auszogne is generally made (…in this case, in a restaurant…), you can watch my video „This is how the best Auszogne works“" look at. Have fun celebrating the church fair today!

+++ This article was created in cooperation with the Wünsche bakery. Thank you! +++

Contact for inquiries

„Backstube Wünsche Kücherl zur Kirchweih“
Wünsche Bakery (Head Office) | Gutenbergstrasse 11, 85080 Gaimersheim
Website

Details: Nearly 300 bakeries; over 300 different products in the assortment;
Preserving tradition and craftsmanship; baking according to in-house recipes

Become a Facebook fan and don't miss a thing!

Pictures: