Best Chrusciki Recipes

CHRUSCIKI WITH MRS. KOSTYRA

Steps:

• Put melted butter, eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, sour cream, salt, extracts, vinegar, and rum in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until mixture is pale, about 3 minutes. With mixer running, add zests. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add up to 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a fairly stiff dough forms.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead, dusting with flour if it seems sticky, until dough becomes smooth, soft, and elastic, about 10 minutes. Halve dough, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Let dough rest at room temperature, 30 minutes.
• Working with 1 piece at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until very thin (about 1/16 inch thick). Using a straightedge as a guide, cut the dough into 5-by-1 1/4-inch strips. Trim ends on the diagonal.
• Lay dough strips vertically in front of you, and cut a 1 1/4-inch-long opening through the middle of each strip. Working with one strip at a time, push one end through the cut, then pull through to make a bow-tie shape. Transfer formed chrusciki to a large parchment-lined baking sheet, and cover with a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel. Repeat process with remaining dough.
• Heat shortening in a large (6-quart) pot over medium-high heat until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Working in small batches of about 7, fry chrusciki, turning once with a slotted spoon, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Transfer fried chrusciki with slotted spoon to two paper-towel-lined baking sheets to drain. (Adjust heat between batches as necessary to keep oil at a steady temperature.)
• Just before serving, dust chrusciki with confectioners' sugar.

POLISH ANGEL WINGS-CHRUSCIKI

Steps:

• Beat eggs until thick.
• Add salt slowly while stirring.
• Add sugar and vanilla, beat well.
• Add cream and flour, alternating until blended. You may need more than the flour listed above depending on how humid it is that day.
• Turn onto a floured board.
• Cover with a cloth for 10 minutes.
• Knead until dough blisters.
• Roll very thin.
• Cut into 1 inch by 4 inch rectangles.
• Cut a gash in the middle of the rectangle and pull one end through so it looks like a twist.
• Fry in 375 degree oil until golden brown.
• Drain on a rack for 3 minutes then roll into powdered sugar.

CHRUSCIKI I

Steps:

• 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.

CHRUSCIKI BOW TIE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, egg, rum, vanilla and salt until blended. Gradually add confectioners' sugar; beat until smooth. Stir in flour until a stiff dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead seven times., Divide dough into three portions. Roll one portion into a 1/4-in.-thick rectangle, about 12 in. x 5-1/2 in. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut dough widthwise into 1-1/2-in.-wide strips. Cut a 3/4-in. lengthwise slit down the center of each strip; pull one of the ends through the slit, forming a bow. Repeat., In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry cookies, a few at a time, for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

FAWORKI (POLISH CHRUSCIKI)

Steps:

• Combine flour, egg yolks, sour cream, sugar, butter, rum, and salt in a large bowl; mix to form a dough.
• Knead dough lightly and roll out on a floured surface. Cut into strips 4 inches long and 3/4 inches wide. Cut a slit in the middle of each strip. Twist and pull one end through the slit.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan. Test the temperature by dropping in a pastry twist; the oil is ready when it browns and float to the surface.
• Fry pastry twists in batches until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

CHRUSCIKI - POLISH ANGEL WING COOKIES

Steps:

• Using a stand mixer, whisk whole eggs, egg yolks, butter and salt until thick and lemon colored.
• Slowly beat in the confectioner's sugar and brandy.
• Change to the dough hook and slowly mix in the flour a 1/4 cup at a time until the dough forms and pulls away from the bowl.
• Using the dough hook, knead the dough for 3-5 minutes. It should be thick like bread dough.
• Keep the dough in the bowl covered with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.
• Snip off a baseball sized piece of dough. On a floured surface, roll to 1/8 inch thick at the most!
• Using a sharp knife cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch wide strips. Then cut the other way in a diagonal to make pieces of dough that are about 1 1/2 X 4 inches.
• Next use your knife to cut a slit in the center of each piece.
• To form the wing shape, take one pointy end and poke it through the slit. Very gently pull the end through the slit to form a bow shaped cookie.
• In a heavy pot or deep skillet, heat the fat of choice (I like lard) to 350°F Use a thermometer!
• Drop the cookies, 3 cookies at a time, into the fat. Drop 3 cookies at once not 1 at a time. The cookies will sink to the bottom at first then they will puff up and float a couple of seconds later. As soon as this happens use a couple of forks to turn them.
• Immediately after you turn them use a deep fry strainer to remove them from the fat to drain on brown paper bags.
• Dust the still hot cookies with confectioner's sugar and repeat, cooking 3 cookies at a time until finished.
• Store in tightly covered, wax paper-lined tins.

BOWTIE COOKIES (CHRUSCIKI OR KRUSCHIKI)

Steps:

• 1. Combine the egg yolks, whole egg and salt in a bowl of mixer. Beat at high speed about 5 minutes , until thick and lemon colored. Beat in sugar, cream, vanilla and rum. Add flour and cornstarch and beat until blisters form, about 5 minutes.
• 2. Turn dough out onto a floured board, divide in half, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for about 20 minutes. Working with 1/2 the dough at a time, roll out to about 1/16 thickness,(kinda like rolling out homemade noodles). Cut 2-inch wide strips. Cut the strips on the diagonal at 4-inch intervals.(2x4-inch pieces)
• 3. Heat about 3-inches of oil in a large, deep skillet to 350°. Make a slit in the center of each strip of the cut dough. Then pull one end through the slit to form a bow( sometimes called bow-tie cookies).
• 4. Fry about 6 at a time for 1 minute or less per side or until golden. These fry quickly, so watch closely. Drain on paper towels. Dust with powdered sugar or cinnamon/sugar mixture or a combination of all, or you may like to drizzle with a little honey.

POLISH CHRUSCIKI (CRULLERS OR ANGEL BOWS)

Steps:

• 1. In large bowl: combine whole eggs and the yolks with sugar, salt, nutmeg and vanilla (or if using Triple Sec use Lemon or orange juice instead of vanilla). Beat at high speed about 3-5 minutes. Adding: cream, brandy (or rum or Triple Sec). Add flour. Beat 3-5 minutes longer until a thick dough forms.
• 2. Divide the dough in half, cover with damp clolth or plastic wrap and let rest for about a half an hour.
• 3. Roll the dough to about 1/8-inch thick. I use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into strips that are about 2-inches wide and to cut each strip diagonally( / ) 3-4-inches apart. (Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap to keep from drying out as you are frying and sifting with powdered sugar).
• 4. Heat 4 -6 inches of oil in large, deep pan for frying to 350 degrees (I use a thermometer). Make a slit in the center of each strip of dough, and pull one end of the dough strip through the slit you cut, in order to form a bow to make them traditional (I sometimes just cut them into strips or triangles and then fry them this way.. they taste just as good!).
• 5. Fry 5 - 8 strips at a time for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. Keep a close watch as they cook quickly. Drain on paper towel lined platter. Dust quickly with powdered sugar by sifting the powdered sugar over cookies. ***Some people drizzle the chrusciki with a little maple syrup or honey. *** These cookies are meant to be eaten right away as they are better freshly made, they do not store well, you may try to store in an airtight container. Within the next few days the cookies can be baked in a 350-degree oven for 3-5 minutes to crisp them up again. Then dust them again with powdered sugar to "refresh" them. But they are usually made and served right away... and around our house there aren't any leftovers to store! LOL
• 6. *** Sometimes we add cinnamon to our powdered sugar before sprinkling the cookies! *** Some people don't cut the slit and pull the end through.... they just loosely make a knot just like when you start to tie your shoes. No matter how you cut them, slit them or not slit them, tie them or not... they are a fast - easy treat!

CHRUSCIKI LEAVES

Steps:

• Put butter, eggs, yolks, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, zests, Cognac, and sour cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium speed until pale and thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually add enough flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Turn out dough onto a floured work surface; knead until dough blisters, becomes elastic, and can be handled easily, 6 to 8 minutes, adding flour if needed.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces. Keep dough under an inverted bowl to prevent it from drying out. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. If dough becomes too elastic while rolling, cover with plastic, and let rest 15 minutes. Cut out leaves with a leaf-shape cookie cutter; transfer to a tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough, layering leaves between sheets of parchment paper. Collect all scraps, and let rest 20 minutes before rerolling.
• Heat oil in a medium-heavy saucepan until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Stretch leaves slightly so they will curl while frying. Fry in batches of 12, turning occasionally, until pale golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheets lined with paper towels to drain and cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

CHRUSCIKI- BOW KNOTS

Steps:

• Beat the eggs and egg yolks together until thick and lemon colored.
• Add the melted butter, sugar, salt, extracts, citrus rinds, cognac, and sour cream and beat until creamy and smooth.
• Add enough flour gradually to produce a thick, fairly stiff dough.
• Turn out onto a floured board and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is elastic and can be handled easily.
• Roll pieces of dough 1/8 inch thin (should be able to see through them) and cut into strips about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide.
• Cut the ends on a diagonal.
• Slit each piece in the center and pull one end through the slit.
• Heat the crisco and lard to 375 degrees and fry the dough strips, until lightly browned (about 1 minute) Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• (SHHHHHHHHHHH!) Sneak 1 or 2 while frying!

CHRUSCIKI II

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, yolks, sugar, sour cream, vinegar and rum until smooth. Gradually stir in flour until the dough is thick enough to handle. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 15 minutes. Put the dough into a bowl and cover with a cloth. Let it rest in a cool place for an hour.
• Heat oil in heavy skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). To test readiness of oil, put a small piece of dough in it, if it immediately comes to the surface, the temperature is right. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to no thicker than 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into strips 2 inches wide and 7 inches long. Cut a 2 inch slit down the center of the strip lengthwise. Pull one end through the hole.
• Fry 4 or 5 strips at a time, turning once, until brown. Drain on paper towels and dust with confectioners' sugar while still warm.

POLISH CHRUSCIKI OR KRULLERS

Steps:

• 1. Beat egg yolks and salt until thick & lemon colored. Add sugar and beat well. Add sour cream, and flour.
• 2. Turn out the dough in a well floured pastry cloth or counter and knead until dough is satiny and doesn't stick to your hands. Divide into 3 sections. Roll each section about 1/8th in. Thick. Then cut into strips 2" wide. Cut a vertical slit in center, about 2" wide, of each piece and pull one end through the slit to form a bow tie shape.
• 3. Heat Crisco oil in deep fryer or fry pan to medium heat about 375 degrees. Fry a few at a time and when lightly browned remove to brown paper bags or paper towels to drain any oil on them.
• 4. Sprinkle with powder sugar when cooled. Enjoy.

OVEN BAKED CHRUSCIKI RECIPE - (3/5)

Steps:

• cut margarine into flour until coarse crumbs are formed. beat yolks with sour cream and vanilla and add to flour mixture. refrigerate overnight. roll dough out thin on floured surface. cut into rectangles. make a slit into each rectangle and pull a corner through to make a bowtie. bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes or until browned. sprinkled with powdered sugar when cool.

CHRUSCIKI LEAVES

Steps:

• Put butter, whole eggs and yolks, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, zests, Cognac, and sour cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium speed until pale and thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually add enough flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Turn out dough onto a floured work surface; knead until dough blisters, becomes elastic, and can be handled easily, 6 to 8 minutes, adding flour if needed.
• Divide dough into four pieces. Keep dough under an inverted bowl to prevent it from drying out. Working with one piece at a time, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. If dough becomes too elastic while rolling, cover with plastic and let rest 15 minutes. Cut out leaves with a leaf-shape cookie cutter; transfer to a tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough, layering leaves between sheets of parchment. Collect all scraps, and let rest 20 minutes before rerolling.
• Heat oil in a medium to heavy saucepan until it registers 375°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Stretch leaves slightly so they will curl while frying. Fry in batches of 12, turning occasionally, until pale golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheets lined with paper towels to drain and cool. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

CHRUSCIKI (POLISH CRESCENT COOKIES), MARK

Steps:

• Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until well combined. Add sour cream, rum and vanilla and mix until smooth. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and add it to egg yolk mixture, a little at a time. On a heavily floured surface knead the dough vigorously, punching and squeezing as much flour into it as it will take until the dough is no longer sticky (1/2 hour). Separate dough into several portions and roll very thin. Turn the dough and loosen often when rolling. The dough should look like parchment paper that you can see through. Cut dough into strips approx. 1 1/2 inches wide, 4 inches long. Make slit closer to one end and bring the longer end through the slit. Heat oil to 375F and fry quickly (only a few seconds) until golden not brown. Turn only once. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners sugar. Makes 8 dozen

CHRUSCIKI

Steps:

• 2.In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat eggs, egg yolks and salt until thick and lemon colored. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar, brandy and alcohol of choice. 3.Change to the dough hook attachment on the mixer. Slowly mix in 2 cups of flour. Use the dough hook to knead the dough for 3-5 minutes. The dough should be thick, almost like bread dough. 4.Rolling and Frying the Cookies To roll the dough you will be working with small balls of dough. Keep the rest of the dough in the bowl, covered with a clean damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying out while you are working. 5.Take a piece of dough about the size of a baseball. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out very thin -- 1/8 of an inch at the most! 6.Take a sharp knife and cut the rolled out dough into strips about 2 inches wide. Then cut the other way on a diagonal to make pieces of dough that are about 2 inches by 4 inches (Photo 1). Take your knife and cut a small slit (1 inch or less) in the center of each piece (Photo 2). 7.To form the cookie, take one end and place it through the slit (Photo 3). 8.Very gently pull the end of the dough through the slit to form a bow shaped cookie 9.In a large pot or deep skillet heat about 3-4 inches of shortening, oil or lard until very hot. (You could alternatively use a deep fat fryer with clean oil.) Test the oil by putting in a small scrap of dough, it should sink to the bottom then immediately float to the top. When this happens your oil is ready. 10.Fry the cookies in small batches -- depending on the size of your pot -- no more than 6 at a time (Photo 5). Fry for about 30 seconds then use tongs to gently turn the cookies over. The cookies should just be barely golden brown. Drain on paper towels or on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Dust liberally with confectioner's sugar. Store cool cookies in an airtight container for a week or so.