Posted by Olga 5/3/02 7:59:36 pm

Cruller...A fried cake, sister to the doughnut, which takes its name from the Dutch word krulle, meaning "twisted cake." Crullers are made by rolling out dough, cutting it into strips, doubling the strips, twisting them, and pinching the ends together. They are then fried in deep fat and brushed with sugar. French crullers are made in a round shape with cream-puff batter, and fried in deep fat. They often have a thin icing.

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fat for deep frying
Confectioners' Sugar Frosting

Combine sugar, salt, shortening, and boiling water in a saucepan. Mix and bring to a rapid boil. Add flour all at once and mix and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla extract. Force mixture through pastry tube onto greased paper, forming circles. Heat deep fat to 375 degrees F on frying thermometer. Carefully turn paper upside down so crullers will drop into fat. Fry and flip over until golden brown. Spread with thin Confectioners' Sugar frosting. Makes about 1 dozen.

Crullers Number 2
1/4 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
Fat for deep frying
Confectioners' sugar

Cream butter and sugar; add eggs. Sift flour with baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Add alternately with milk. Chill dough. Roll out 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into strips 1 x 8 inches. Fold each strip in half lengthwise; twist several times and pinch ends together. Fry and flip over in hot deep fat 380 degrees F on a frying thermometer until brown. Drain on absorbent paper, and cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Makes 6 dozen.