Best 5 Russian Snow Twigs Recipes

RUSSIAN TWIG COOKIES(KHVOROST)

Steps:

• Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Place the eggs and sugar into a medium mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer on medium speed until pale yellow, about 2 minutes.
• Add the butter and half of the flour mixture and beat until just mixed, then add remaining flour mixture and beat until dough begins to come together.
• Add the brandy and continue beating until dough forms completely.
• Shape the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Let the covered dough come almost to room temperature. Line 1 sheet pan with wax paper(or parchment) and another pan with paper towels; set both aside.
• Cut dough in half and re wrap 1 of the pieces in plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
• Roll the uncovered dough out on a lightly floured board to 8"x12" rectangle about 1/8" thick. Cut dough into 3/4"x2 1/2" strips. Cut a 1" vertical slit down center of each strip. Twist 1 end of each strip and thread it through the slit, forming a loose loop. Set shaped dough strips on the wax paper lined pan as formed. Repeat the process with remaining dough.
• Pour oil into a heavy medium saucepan to a depth of 3" and heat over medium heat until temperature registers 375°F on a candy thermometer.
• Working in batches, fry cookies, turning them over halfway through cooking time, until pale golden brown on each side, about 1 minutes per side.
• Move cookies with a slotted spoon to the paper towel lined pan to let drain and cool completely.
• Serve the cookies on a serving plate liberally dusted with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

RUSSIAN SNOW TWIGS

Steps:

• Whisk to combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in brandy and zests. Reduce speed to low; gradually add flour mixture. Beat just until dough comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface, and knead until dough springs back slightly when pressed, about 2 minutes. Divide dough in half; wrap each in plastic. Let rest 1 hour at room temperature.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough into a rectangle less than 1/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut dough into strips of varying widths and lengths, 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide and 5 to 6 inches long. For a branchlike effect, use a paring knife to split each strip about 1 inch from each end, if desired. Cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep dough from drying out. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Heat oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or pot until it registers 360 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Gently pull each dough strip to stretch it almost double in length before carefully dropping in oil. Fry about 4 strips at a time, turning occasionally with a mesh skimmer, until they are golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and repeat until all twigs are fried, carefully adjusting heat to maintain temperature as needed. Before serving, dust twigs generously with confectioners' sugar. Cookies are best eaten the same day they are fried (do not cover).

CLASSIC CANNOLI

Steps:

• Make the filling: Line a sieve with a layer of cheesecloth, and set over a bowl. Spoon ricotta into sieve. Cover, and let drain in the refrigerator overnight.
• With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat ricotta and confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in chocolate chips, vanilla, zest, and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
• Make the shells: Combine flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add Marsala and oil, and beat on medium speed until dough comes together. Using your hands, knead dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Wrap in plastic, and let rest 30 minutes.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces. Pass 1 piece of dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine (keep remaining pieces covered). Continue passing through narrower settings until it is the thickness of a dime. Lay on a floured work surface. Cut out rounds with a 3 1/4-inch cutter. Gather scraps and reroll.
• Pour enough oil into a large, heavy saucepan to come about 4 inches up sides. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 degrees.
• Wrap each round of dough around a 3 3/4-inch-long cannoli form, sealing with a dab of egg white. Working in batches of 3 or 4, fry until golden, about 1 minute. Using a wire skimmer or tongs, transfer to paper towels, and let cool 5 minutes. Carefully slide out forms, and let shells cool. Continue rolling, cutting, and frying the remaining dough.
• Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Dip one end of each cannoli shell into chocolate and then into pistachios. Let set 15 minutes on parchment paper.
• Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip (such as Ateco #826). Pipe filling into one end of a shell to the center, then into other end. Repeat with remaining shells and filling. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.

CHRUSCIKI LEAVES

Steps:

• Put butter, eggs, yolks, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, zests, Cognac, and sour cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium speed until pale and thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually add enough flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Turn out dough onto a floured work surface; knead until dough blisters, becomes elastic, and can be handled easily, 6 to 8 minutes, adding flour if needed.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces. Keep dough under an inverted bowl to prevent it from drying out. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. If dough becomes too elastic while rolling, cover with plastic, and let rest 15 minutes. Cut out leaves with a leaf-shape cookie cutter; transfer to a tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough, layering leaves between sheets of parchment paper. Collect all scraps, and let rest 20 minutes before rerolling.
• Heat oil in a medium-heavy saucepan until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Stretch leaves slightly so they will curl while frying. Fry in batches of 12, turning occasionally, until pale golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheets lined with paper towels to drain and cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

STRUFFOLI (FRIED DOUGH WITH HONEY AND ALMONDS)

Steps:

• Combine flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix together butter, orange-blossom water, vanilla and anise extracts, and egg in another bowl. Pour into flour mixture. Mix well, adding ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is stiff but not crumbly.
• Roll out dough to 3/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured cutting board. Cut dough into 3/8-inch-wide strips, then cut crosswise into 3/8-inch squares. Roll each piece into a ball, transferring to a lightly floured surface as you work.
• Heat 2 inches oil in a medium heavy saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees. Working in batches, fry dough, stirring, until golden. Remove fried dough from oil using a wire-mesh skimmer, and transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Heat honey, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves. Working in batches, dip struffoli in honey sauce until well coated, and transfer to a sieve set over a bowl to drain; reserve honey sauce. Mound struffoli on a platter, pour remaining and reserved honey sauce over top, and sprinkle with almonds and nonpareils.