Chrusciki I (Angel Wings Cookies)

  • 80
  • 60 mins

Ingredients

  • 12 egg yolks
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon whiskey (optional)
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, egg, sugar, salt, vanilla, and whiskey. Stir in 2 cups of the flour. If dough is sticky, add the rest of the flour. Knead dough for 5 minutes; divide into three parts. Keep dough pieces covered with plastic wrap until ready to use.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Or, alternately, melt 2 pounds lard(see Editor's Note). Oil should be about 1 inch deep.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough until it's paper-thin. Cut into parallelogram (long diamond) shapes, and use a sharp paring knife to cut a slot in the centers. Pull one point of the diamond through the slot; set aside and repeat with remaining pieces.

Fry 2 to 4 pieces at a time, depending on the size of your pan, about 5 to 10 seconds on each side. The cookies should not be browned. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels; dust with confectioners' sugar when cool. Store any remaining cookies in an airtight container.

Footnotes:

Editor's Notes:
These are traditionally fried in lard. You'll need about 2 pounds of lard to make it deep enough for frying.
We have determined the nutritional value of lard for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of fat used.