Polish Bowknot Cookies
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon dark rum or brandy
- 12/3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
Instructions:
The cookies can be fried up to 3 days ahead.
- In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer set at high speed, beat the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt until the yolks are thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Beat in the rum. Using a wooden spoon, a third at a time, alternately beat in the flour and sour cream, beating well after each addition.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 3 minutes. Wrap in plastic and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Work with half of the dough at a time, leaving the other half covered. On a lightly floured work surface, dust the dough with flour, and roll out to 1/16-inch thickness. Using a fluted ravioli cutter or pizza wheel, cut 1-inch-wide strips of dough. Cut the dough crosswise into 3-inch lengths. In the center of each strip, cut a slit about 1½ inches long. Pull one end of the dough through the slit to make a bow-tie shape. Place the cookies on cookie sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Pour enough vegetable oil into a 5-quart pot to come halfway up the sides. Heat over high heat to 360°F. In batches, without crowding, fry the cookies until golden brown, turning halfway through frying, about 3 minutes. Using a large wire-mesh skimmer, transfer the cookies to wire racks set over jelly-roll pans to drain and cool. Place the cooled cookies on crumpled paper towels to remove any excess oil.