FROM OUR TRUE HUNGARIAN HERITAGE
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HUNGARIAN EASTER TRADITION
ANGELS’ WINGS FRIED COOKIES
Hungarian Csöröge (Angels' Wings) are those wonderful light as air, crispy, fried dough cookies traditionally prepared for Weddings. Beautifully piled high in pyramid style on cut crystal platters, they are lovely to behold and even most delightful to indulge. A popular dessert for Sunday dinner and served with coffee after a meal of Beef Gulyas or Chicken Paprikas. It tends to leave powdery traces of sugar on your upper lip, your chin and your nose. The secret is now out!
Angel wings are traditional in several other European cuisines and have been incorporated into other regional cuisines (such as the United States) by immigrant populations. They are most commonly eaten in the period just before Lent, often during Carnival and on Fat Thursday, the last Thursday before Lent – not to be confused with "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. There is a tradition in some countries for husbands to give them to their wives on Friday the 13th in order to avoid bad luck.
Forgács Fánk or Csöröge
Ingredients:
10 large egg yolks
4-5 cups sifted flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 oz cognac brandy (or rum)
Directions: In a large mixing bowl, cream egg yolks until thick and lemon coloured. Add all ingredients except flour and beat a little more until well blended. Add flour gradually; beat to a smooth batter then as you add rest of the flour you begin to knead with your hands until dough is smooth as silk, soft and very elastic. Add more flour as needed.
Separate dough into balls and let rest on your noodle board (covered with a bowl). Roll out very thin on a slightly floured pastry board. Cut with zigzag pizza wheel into one inch wide diagonal strips. Take one long strip at a time, cut a slit and take one corner and loop it through the slip to form a flying angel. (See diagram below).
When the oil is hot, place about 10 pieces of dough into the deep fryer or pan at a time. Turn Csöröge after ½-1 minute and fry on other side until light golden (about 1/2 min). Remove onto tray lined with paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
ANGELS’ WINGS FRIED COOKIES
(Smaller recipe)
Forgács Fánk or Csöröge
Here’s another variation on the theme. This one has sour cream in it. Try them both.
Ingredients
1 cup sour cream
4 large egg yolks
1 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
2¼ cups flour
1 oz cognac brandy (or rum)
½ tsp baking powder
¼ cup icing sugar (for dusting)
1 pkg vanilla sugar
Oil/shortening (for frying)
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Form into a soft dough. Roll out and cut as directed in previous recipe (See Diagram- above). Fry quickly in hot Crisco shortening until light brown. Dust with vanilla icing sugar.
Chef’s Hint: All donut recipes should contain 1 shot of rum - it gives it a pleasant taste and during frying - the dough will absorb less oil. (I would suggest 1 shot for the cook - this will give her a bit of courage for the task!)
Blessings
Clara Margaret Czegeny
Dream Machine Publications
Paris, Ontario, Canada
The "Hot Hungarian Chef"
