Guanti and/or Chruscik

Submitted by Dee514

"This is one of those recipes that every European nationality has their own version of. The Italian version (Guanti) is usually made for holidays and special occasions, as is the Polish version (Chruscik). The Chruscik recipe is my hubby's Polish grandmother's recipe. The Guanti recipe is my Italian grandmother's recipe."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 19
• Yields: 24-48 guanti

ingredients

• For Guanti

• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons Crisco, melted (shortening or leaf lard)
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour, sifted
• oil or shortening (for frying)

• For Chruscik

• 3 cups flour, sifted (plus extra flour for kneading and cutting)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon brandy (M-I-L uses blackberry brandy)
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1⁄4 cup cream cheese or 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1⁄4 cup milk
• oil or shortening, for deep fat frying

directions

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

Reviews

[Evelyn L Jepson]

I have a recipe for this called Krusthi, Ukrainian recipe, for the same thing. I also have a special cutter for the dough, I got from Goldas Kitchen. It makes the slots and the right width of the cookie, you just do the putting through the slot.