Franske Hotdogs (“French” Hot Dogs)

Summer means grilling season, and therefore it’s the perfect time to share one of our favorite ways to eat hot dogs! While regular hot dogs are delicious for sure, they’re pretty messy. We much prefer a classic Danish dish, a fransk hotdog – easy to eat on the go, portable, lots of bread, plenty of toppings. Basically, you start with a soft bun, carve out the center, filling with your toppings, and stick a hot dog inside. Sounds weird, but it’s amazing!

The history of this dish is unclear, specifically why it’s called a “french” hotdog when it is mostly popular in Denmark. However, this method of eating a hot dog is also popular in other European countries, including Austria, so perhaps it stems from another country. One thing we want to make very clear though, is how much Danes love hot dogs. In fact, this was probably one of the first fast foods to become popular in Denmark. You will find pølsevogne (sausage wagons) all over the place in most large cities, and they serve all kinds of dishes, including fransk hotdogs. If you ever find yourself in Denmark, this is a must-try, and luckily very easy and portable if you’re on the go!

Below, we offer our recipe for a homemade fransk hotdog bun, as the rest of the ingredients can be store-bought. If you also don’t feel like making homemade buns, you can always buy a baguette and cut it into smaller pieces! The recipe is not too complex, though, as it’s just a basic recipe for soft and sweet white bread dough. Please try it out and if you do, let us know what you think in the comments below!

Franske Hotdogs (“French” Hot Dogs)

4.67 from 3 votes

These hot dogs are served in a homemade bun with any topping you like – and they are absolutely delicious!

Servings 8 servings

Prep Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs

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IMPORTANT NOTE:

We always bake using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and milliliters). We can’t promise that our cup measurements will be as accurate! Additionally, we bake and develop our recipes in a convection (fan) oven.

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

DOUGH

• 2 tsp instant yeast (2.5 tsp active dry yeast, 17.5g fresh yeast)
• 100 ml (a little under 1/2 cup) milk
• 100 ml (a little under 1/2 cup) water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 28 grams (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• 400 grams (3 1/4 cups) all-purpose or bread flour
• Extra milk to brush on top

HOT DOGS u0026 TOPPINGS

• 1 packet of hot dogs (8 or 10 hot dogs, depending on the brand)
• Ketchup (optional)
• Mustard (optional)
• Fransk Hotdog Dressing (optional)
• Fried Onions (optional)

Instructions

 

• If using instant yeast – add the yeast, milk, and water to a bowl and whisk to combine. Then add the rest of the ingredients (sugar, salt, butter, flour) and stir together with a wooden spoon. Once a dough starts to form, you can start kneading.
• If using active dry yeast or fresh yeast – Heat up the milk and water, either in the microwave or in a saucepan, until it is “fingervarm” (finger warm), meaning it should feel warm to the touch but not hot. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve. Let it rest 5-10 minutes until it begins to froth and bubble a little bit. Then, add the rest of the ingredients (sugar, salt, butter, flour) and stir together with a wooden spoon. Once a dough starts to form, you can start kneading.
  
• Knead for 10-12 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should pass the  Cover the bowl with a damp towel or cling film.
  
• Cover and let the dough proof for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size and passes the poke test (should NOT spring back immediately when poked, should spring back slightly but leave an indentation).
• Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into four or five equal sized portions, depending on how many hot dogs are in the pack.
  
• Shape the dough loaves for the hot dogs by pressing or rolling each piece of dough into a long log, the length of the baking sheet.
  
• Arrange the shaped loaves on a baking sheet.
  
• Cover the dough and let it rise for another 30 minutes to an hour, or until doubled in size and passes the poke test again. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C).
  
• Brush the long loaves with milk and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and baked all the way through.
  
• Once the long loaves have cooled, it’s time to assemble! To assemble the franske hot dogs, cut each long loaf in half or cut into thirds (the length of the hotdog may not reach the whole way if you cut it in half – not an issue for us, but if you want a different ratio we would suggest cutting it in thirds!). Hollow out the center with a small knife.
  
• Heat up your hot dogs using your preferred method (grilling, pan frying, or boiling). Add ketchup, mustard, or your favorite sauce and toppings into the hole in the loaf. Then add your hot dog and enjoy!

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine: Danish

Keyword: classic, comfort food, Copenhagen, grill, hot dogs, summer, traditional

Difficulty: Intermediate