Master crunchy angel wings with grandma's tried-and-true tips

Angel wings are one of the favorite carnival desserts. Like other sweet treats characteristic of this period, they are fried to a golden color in deep fat. The cookies should be as crispy and delicate as dried twigs. So, how do you achieve this effect?

My grandmother would fry angel wings at least several times during carnival. She had rules that she always followed, which made her cookies incredibly delicate and crispy. The dough was as thin as paper. I can't even buy such wings in the best bakery today. Although the recipe for angel wings seems simple, making them requires precision and skill. It's worth frying them at least once a year because homemade ones always taste better than store-bought ones.

1. Be cautious with the cream. It's one of the ingredients of the angel wings dough. Don't add the entire portion at once when kneading it; do it in parts. The dough should be elastic but not wet.
2. Alcohol is a must. My grandmother would add spirits or vodka, but you can also choose beer. Thanks to the spirits, the dough is fluffier and crispier, and characteristic bubbles form on the surface of the angel wings.
3. Intense beating with a rolling pin. After kneading the dough, beat it intensely with a rolling pin. This trick isn't used for other types of dough but is very important for angel wings. It ensures that the dough is well aerated, which ensures that it will be light and exceptionally crunchy.
4. Careful rolling. Tear off pieces from the prepared dough and roll them out as thinly as possible. It's challenging, but the dough should be as thin as paper. Cut out the angel wings with a knife or unique pastry wheel.
5. They must not dry out. Cover the prepared cookies with a cloth before you start frying them. The thin and delicate dough dries out quickly, and they are no longer crunchy.
6. Lard or oil? My grandmother was always an advocate for lard. Culinary experts emphasize that angel wings prepared with this fat are crunchier. However, using lard is not enough; its temperature must be high, approximately 356 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. No rush. Put only a few angel wings into the pot. It's not only because they expand; when there are fewer, they fry evenly, and the temperature of the fat doesn't drop. Angel wings fry very quickly; you only need to turn them over during the process.
8. Powdering with aroma. Placing them on a paper towel to drain the excess fat is best. While still warm, they can be generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Mix it with fine vanilla sugar to enhance its aroma even more.