Miške
Miške (literally “little mice” in Slovenian) are small, deep-fried sweet fritters popular in Slovenia. They belong to a long tradition of European fried dough desserts, including Italian frittelle, Spanish buñuelos, and German Berliner. Such pastries are especially associated with winter holidays and the Carnival season, when rich foods were traditionally consumed prior to the fasting period of Lent.
Compared with yeast-based recipes, miške are relatively simple and can be prepared on short notice, as they rely on baking powder rather than yeast for leavening. Two variations are presented below: a classic yogurt-based preparation and a version incorporating grated apples.
Recipe
Ingredients for Classic Yogurt Miške:
180 g plain yogurt
1 teaspoon rum
1 egg
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
60 g powdered sugar
200 g all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
8 g baking powder
oil for frying, powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions:
In a bowl, mix together the egg, rum, lemon zest, and yogurt using an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder, and mix well until you obtain a smooth batter without lumps. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.
Heat the oil to 160 °C in a large pot. If you do not have a thermometer, dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. The oil is hot enough when bubbles begin to form around the handle.
Dip a teaspoon into the hot oil for a few seconds. Then scoop up some batter with the spoon and place it into the oil. Do not overcrowd the pot; fry the fritters in batches over medium heat. When they turn golden brown on one side, turn them over and fry on the other side. Repeat until all the batter is used.
Remove the fritters from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. Let the excess oil drain.
While still warm, arrange the fritters on a large plate or serving tray, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.
Ingredients for Apple Miške:
180 g plain yogurt
1 tablespoon rum
1 egg
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
10 g bourbon vanilla sugar or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
45 g powdered sugar
250 g all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
8 g baking powder
3 apples
oil for frying, powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions:
In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg, rum, lemon zest, and sugar until smooth.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Peel the apples, remove the cores, and grate them coarsely. Stir them into the batter, which should be quite thick (add a little more flour if necessary).
Heat the oil to 160 °C in a large pot. If you do not have a thermometer, dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. The oil is hot enough when small bubbles begin to form around the handle.
Dip a teaspoon into the hot oil for a few seconds. Then scoop up some batter and place it into the oil. Do not overcrowd the pot; fry in batches over medium heat. When golden brown on one side, turn and fry on the other side. Repeat until all the batter is used.
Remove the fritters with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. Let the excess oil drain.
While still warm, arrange on a large plate or serving tray, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.