Getting Ready for Fuesend!

Join Nicky Krieger-Loos in preparing for Fuesend, or Carnival!

Fuesend (Fuesent), or Carnival, in Luxembourg is celebrated from February 2 – Candlemas Day or Liichtmëssdag – and Ash Wednesday. Learn about the festival’s traditions and all of the sweet treats Luxembourgers make for this time of year. Nicky will provide a cooking demonstration of a couple popular fried donuts, giving you plenty of time to practice the recipe before Fuesend in February.

You are welcome to cook alongside Nicky. However, this is a more advanced recipe as it requires frying. It is also important for the oil to be the right temperature, which may take some time depending on your stove-top and could make it harder to follow along. For some, it may be helpful to watch and ask questions first, and then try the recipe on your own with the program recording. The list of ingredients will be provided at least one week prior to the program. The full recipe will be sent out in a reminder email a day or two prior to the program.

Caution: Please take all of the necessary safety measures when cooking with hot oil. See the USDA’s recommendations for deep frying food safety.

This program will be offered through Zoom on Sunday, January 16, at 11am Central Time. Members, please sign in when requesting your ticket.* The Zoom link will be emailed after ticket purchase, and we will send a reminder email that includes the full recipe a day or two prior to the event.

Ingredients for Fuesent

Nicky will be making two types of Fuesent, one with yeast and one with baking powder. If you are planning on following along with Nicky, please have all of the ingredients out and measured prior to the program.

Yeast Recipe*

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup lukewarm milk (about 100 degrees F)
• 2 tsp dry instant yeast
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup softened butter
• 1 pinch salt
• Oil for frying (canola or sunflower oil work best)**
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• Optional: plum jam for filling, or any other fruit jam (apricot, strawberry, raspberry, etc.)

Baking Powder Recipe*

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 lb Quark or plain Greek yogurt – substitute with a 2-1 mix of Mascarpone & sour cream; or ricotta & plain Greek yogurt
• Zest of one lemon (optional)
• Oil for frying (canola or sunflower oil work best)**
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

*All ingredients should be at room temperature unless otherwise stated.

**For frying use either a deep fryer or a deep pot. If using a pot, the pot should be filled 3 – 4 inches high with oil. The donuts need to be able to float and not touch the bottom of the pot.

About Our Host:

Nicky Krieger-Loos is from Dudelange/Luxembourg. In 1987, as a member of the La Ronde Bettembourg folk dancing group, she visited for the first time communities in the Midwest settled by Luxembourg immigrants in the 19th century. Over the years has stayed in touch with numerous descendants of these immigrants. With her husband Carlo and their children Claire, Louis and Lucie, they have moved around the world and lived in the USA, Austria, Russia, China, and currently in Brasilia. This way she has discovered many new food styles, recipes and attended cooking classes in many different places. An optician by training, she now pursues her hobbies cooking, baking crazy birthday cakes, quilting, and upcycling all kinds of fabrics from worn-out jeans to her children’s old clothes. She also teaches cooking classes with traditional dishes as well as folk dances with Luxembourg descendants in their communities in Brazil.

*Tickets are per device. So if multiple people plan to watch from the same computer, only one ticket is needed.