Those who have walked the way up from Hohenschwangau to Neuschwanstein castle, have probably stopped by at the restaurant halfway to buy Quarkbällchen to-go from the counter- 3 for 2,50€, as the rate goes there. But what are those exactly and are they exclusive Neuschwanstein-food?
Quarkbällchen are a type of German mini doughnuts without a hole in the middle. What distinguishes them is the use of “quark” as one of the main ingredients for the batter. Quark is a type of dairy product, which can’t directly be translated, but it is something between curd and sour cream. So the name quite literally means “quark balls”, because Bällchen is diminutive for balls.
Deep fried, usually served warm, they can come with or without a filling and coated in powder sugar. Those at Neuschwanstein are plain, without signs of chocolate, jam or custard inside and have the size of a golf ball.
Because of the quark inside, the consistency of these sweet delights is a bit chewy and airy, very light and honestly, slightly addictive as well. It is the type of treat that is not very rich in flavour and isn’t exactly “wow” at first bite, but once you swallow it, it leaves a subtle sweet aftertaste, which makes you want more and before you know it, you’ve devoured 3 or four of them and you’re already reaching for the next one.
Quarkbällchen are not something reserved for the visitors of the Neuschwanstein castle to enjoy and can easily be found in bakeries all around Germany, although sometimes under a different name. You can find them as Berliner or Krapfen (which can simply be translated as doughnuts), as well as Quarkini, Mäuschen, Nautzen and Fasnachtskrebbl. Originally, they were eaten as a type of feast food on the last Tuesday before the Lent (the 40-day Easter fasting), but now you can enjoy them all-year-round.
So if you ever have the chance, give them a try- they are a really inexpensive snack and a fast fix to fill you up if you are in a hurry.
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