JFK: 'I Am a Jelly Donut' ('Ich bin ein Berliner')

Born and raised in Berlin, Germany, I just couldn't resist this post.

You probably have heard and read from several different sources the story that John F. Kennedy made a major German language blunder in his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech in Berlin, Germany.  

The story goes that he should have said "Ich bin Berliner" ("I am a citizen of Berlin"), and that "Ich bin ein Berliner" really means "I am a jelly doughnut."  (A "Berliner" is in fact a type of jelly doughnut made in Berlin.)  

Is it true?  President Kennedy said the phrase absolutely correctly, although possibly with a thick American accent.  The German language is simply not that trivial — it has subtleties that very few non-native speakers grasp.  

If President Kennedy had said "Ich bin Berliner," he would have sounded silly because with his heavy accent he couldn't possibly have come from Berlin.  But by saying "Ich bin ein Berliner," he actually said "I am one with the people of Berlin." 

Although someone would have to verify it, that President Kennedy actually didn't know German very well, if at all.  He had a German journalist translate the phrase for him, and that journalist coached him at length on exactly how to say the phrase.

You should have seen this coming....How about the recipe on how to make a "Berliner"!

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 ounce (4 1/2 teaspoons) instant yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus more for coating
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon mace
• 2 tablespoons nonfat powdered milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread flour
• Oil, for coating bowl
• Vegetable shortening, for frying
• 1 1/2 cups raspberry, strawberry, blueberry or your favorite jelly for filling doughnut

Directions

Set a small saucepan over low heat and add 1/4 cup of the milk. Heat the milk long enough to remove the chill and raise the temperature just slightly so that it is just warm. Place the yeast in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and pour the heated milk over the yeast. Stir the milk into the yeast and allow it to bloom for 5 to 10 minutes. In a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, butter, salt, mace, and powdered milk and mix until just well combined. Do not overmix. Add the egg and mix gently. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of milk and mix briefly. Add the flours and yeast mixture and mix to form a smooth dough, about 6 to 8 minutes at second speed.

Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Set aside to rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour and, using a rolling pin, roll to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Let dough sit undisturbed for 5 minutes to allow the dough to relax. Using a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, cut doughnuts into rounds about 3 inches in diameter.
Add enough solid vegetable shortening to a large saucepan or deep-fryer to come halfway up the sides of the pan when melted. Heat over medium heat to a temperature of 350 degrees F. Fry the doughnuts, a few at a time so as to not overcrowd, turning once midway through the cooking, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. While donuts are still warm, place them in a paper bag with some sugar and shake to coat. Transfer the cooked doughnuts to a cookie rack set over a sheet pan to cool.
When cool, place the jelly in a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip and, using the tip, poke a small hole in the side of the doughnuts and fill the centers with 2 tablespoons of the jam. Serve.