Recipe Manuscript

Wasser-Strauben

Name: Wasser-Strauben
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT15M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 5 large eggs; 250 ml whole milk; Optional: 50 g raisins (Weinbeeren); Clarified butter or unsalted butter (for glazing, ca. 50 ml); Water (for boiling, quantity as needed)

"Water-Fritters"

1699

From the treasured pages of Freywillig-auffgesprungener Granat-Apffel, Deß Christlichen Samaritans

Written by Eleonora Maria Rosalia

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1699

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Wasser-Strauben

"Nimb 5. Eyr/ schlag sie wol ab / nimb Milch darunter / mach ein schönen Taig an/ dieser als ein Strauben-Taig / sehtz ein Wasser in einer Pfann/ wann es sieden thut/ so mach ein Straubel mit dem Trachter in das Wasser/ wann es genug gesotten hat / so thue das Straubel auff ein Reindl herauß/ mach wider eins/ bis du den Taig gar hast / aber ein jedes Straubel absonderlich / bachs also bey ein Aschen-Feuer herunter / sonst macht mans auff ein Schüssel / und strähet Weinbeerl zwischen / und brennt sie mit einem heissen Schmalz ab / setze sie auff ein Glütl / daß sein warm bleiben."

English Translation

"Take 5 eggs, beat them well, add milk, and make a nice dough, like a fritter dough. Set water in a pan; when it comes to a boil, make a fritter with a funnel into the water. When it is thoroughly boiled, take the fritter out into a dish. Make another one, until all the dough is used, but make each fritter separately. Bake them down by an ash fire. Otherwise, they are served on a dish, with raisins sprinkled between, and pour hot lard over them to brown them. Set them on embers to keep warm."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the flowing, somewhat improvisational style common in late 17th-century German cookery texts, giving experienced cooks room for adaptation. Measurements are imprecise, relying on familiar ratios and sensory experience—'a nice batter' and 'enough milk'—without specifying flour, as it is implied from context and custom. The wording and spelling reflect early modern German, with terms like 'Eyr' for eggs and 'schlagen' for beating. These recipes assumed a certain level of culinary literacy, trusting the cook’s intuition to fill in gaps.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Freywillig-auffgesprungener Granat-Apffel, Deß Christlichen Samaritans - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Freywillig-auffgesprungener Granat-Apffel, Deß Christlichen Samaritans (1699)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Eleonora Maria Rosalia

Era

1699

Publisher

Leopold Voigt

Background

This delightful tome by Duchess Eleonora Maria Rosalia is a treasure trove of culinary wisdom from 17th-century Vienna. Interwoven with remedies and secrets for well-being, it features a charming section described as a 'ganz neues und nutzbahres Koch-Buch'—an entirely new and useful cookbook—offering tried-and-true recipes, kitchen secrets, and practical tips to nourish both body and soul.

Kindly made available by

Wien Bibliothek

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from the baroque Austrian noble household of Eleonora Maria Rosalia, Duchess of Troppau and Jägerndorf, and appears in her massive compilation blending kitchen wisdom with remedies and dietary advice, printed in Vienna in 1699. Wasser-Strauben were an inventive cousin to the Strauben (funnel fritters), common at festive or Lenten tables, notable here for being boiled rather than fried. Such dishes highlight the blend of indulgence and restraint found in upper-class Viennese cuisine at the turn of the 18th century, balancing rich ingredients with novel cooking techniques.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historically, the cook would use a sturdy mixing bowl and a wooden whisk to beat the eggs and blend the batter. To shape each 'Straube', a conical funnel ('Trichter') or a dedicated pouring vessel was used to create spirals or rings directly into a large pan of simmering water positioned over a hearth. Once cooked, the fritters were scooped out with a slotted spoon (a 'Reindl' for draining). To finish, the fritters might be set by the embers of an open fire or glazed with hot butter directly from a small iron pan.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

5 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
Optional: 1/3 cup raisins (Weinbeeren)
Clarified butter or unsalted butter (for glazing, about 3 tablespoons)
Water (for boiling, quantity as needed)

Instructions

Begin by taking 5 large eggs and beat them well in a mixing bowl.
Add about 1 cup of milk and whisk together to form a smooth batter, much like a classic fritter dough (Strauben-Teig).
Bring a large, wide pan of water to a gentle boil.
Using a funnel or piping bag (traditionally a 'Trichter'), pour a portion of the batter in a swirling motion into the boiling water, shaping each 'Wasser-Straube' individually.
Let each fritter cook in the simmering water until set and slightly puffed, about 2-4 minutes.
Lift out with a slotted spoon and place on a plate or tray.
Repeat until all batter is used.
Optionally, once all fritters are poached, you can bake them briefly near the embers of a fire, or, if desired, assemble them on a platter with scattered raisins between each layer and pour over some hot clarified butter.
Keep warm until serving.

Estimated Calories

150 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the batter and workspace takes about 10 minutes. Cooking each batch of fritters in simmering water takes around 15 minutes for the whole amount. Each serving contains about 150 calories if using clarified butter and no raisins. This recipe makes 6 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.