Whiskey Chruscik Food

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.

WHISKEY CHRUSCIK

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and egg yolks one by one while continuing to beat, then add salt, whiskey, and vanilla. Stir in flour until a smooth dough is formed. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Roll out dough on a well floured surface until very thin, about 1/8-inch thick. Cut dough into rectangles measuring 1x4 inches. Grasping each end of a dough strip, give it two twists to form a bowtie shape. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Fry the cookies in batches until golden brown on both sides, turn them over half way through so they cook evenly. Drain cookies on a paper towel-lined plate, then dust with powdered sugar.

GUANTI AND/OR CHRUSCIK

Steps:

• Guanti: In a large bowl, beat eggs until light, add sugar, milk, Crisco, salt and vanilla, and mix well.
• Beat in flour, until dough is formed.
• Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll dough to wafer thinness on a floured board (or put dough through a pasta machine).
• Using a dough cutting wheel, or knife, cut the dough into strips about 2 1/2 inches wide by 4 inches long.
• Continue with remaining dough.
• Deep fry the dough strips in hot oil or Crisco, until lightly golden (about 1-2 minutes).
• Remove from pan and drain on paper towels or brown paper.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar OR lightly coat with a honey syrup (honey thinned with water) before serving.
• Chrúscik (pronounced kris-chick-e): Mix together flour, salt and baking powder.
• Melt butter and cream cheese with milk.
• In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vanilla and brandy and mix well.
• Add flour mixture and cream cheese mixture alternately to the egg mixture, mix well after each addition.
• Dough should be soft.
• On a floured pastry cloth, roll dough 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut dough into 3 inch strips.
• Cut a small slit in the center of each strip.
• Pull one end of the strip through the slit in the center, forming a"twist" in the middle.
• Fry in hot oil until light golden on each side.
• Remove from pan, drain on brown paper.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.