Warsaw Chrusciki

Chrusciki go by many names, angel wings, faworki, bow ties, but in Polish kitchens they mean one thing: celebration. These crisp, blistered ribbons of fried dough turn up at Fat Thursday, weddings, and Christmas, and they shatter into buttery shards at the first bite.

The dough is unusually rich, leaning on a baker’s dozen of egg yolks plus a whole egg for tenderness and color. Sour cream and melted butter add body, and the splash of rum or whiskey does more than flavor: the alcohol helps keep the dough from soaking up frying oil, so the cookies stay light and greaseless.

Rolling matters most. Get the dough paper-thin, then cut strips, slit the centers, and pull one end through to form that signature twist.

Fry hot and fast, about a minute per side, until barely golden. Overbrowning turns them bitter. Drain, cool, then snow them with powdered sugar.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the dough as thin as you can; thin strips fry up shatteringly crisp, thick ones stay doughy.
• Keep the oil hot so the cookies cook in about a minute and don’t absorb grease.
• Work with a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest covered so it doesn’t dry out.
• Dust with powdered sugar only after they’ve cooled, or it melts into a sticky glaze.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of vanilla or a little lemon zest to the dough for extra aroma.
• Swap the rum for brandy or a splash of vodka, both traditional choices.
• Toss the cooled cookies in cinnamon sugar instead of plain powdered sugar.