Christmas is a day away here in Germany – I can already smell the mulled wine on the stove. Normally I still have some Christmas cookies left at this stage of the Christmas madness, but in case you need something last minute, you could try to deep-fry some Christmas cookies: Deep-Fried Vanilla Stars, for example ;) A sweet small snack you can serve your guests and also work well to decorate a dessert as a highlight for your Christmas dinner.
These vanilla stars are the ultimate last-minute cookie recipe. In case you are frying something to create a nice dinner why not making some extra Christmas cookies with the already hot fat in your deep-fryer? ;) You might want to make the cookies first if you are planning on preparing fish or something more “smelly” so the cookies don’t take the smells of whatever you put first in the fat/oil :P
To be honest – these Christmas cookies are more like mini donuts than actual Christmas cookies. Like regular donuts, these vanilla stars are best when fresh. A donut that is sitting on the counter for a day is never as good as a fresh one… same for these vanilla stars here. So don’t expect them to be good for a week. I mean they will stay edible for a week, but they will dry out pretty quickly. Same if you fry them too hot or for too long. Because they are so tiny they don’t need much time in the hot fat/oil – so keep that in mind.
Besides that… ;) Great edible decoration for a dessert. We love to place them on top of some chocolate mousse or fruit salad. Really nice addition!
That’s all for now! Merry Christmas! See you again next year ;)
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the dough:
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1.4 oz. (40g) sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1.4 oz. (40g) butter, softened
1 medium egg
1 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
To finish:
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla sugar
oil or clarified butter for frying
Für den Teig:
130g Mehl (Type 550)
40g Zucker
1/2 TL Backpulver
1/4 TL Salz
40g weiche Butter
1 Ei (M)
1 EL Milch
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
Sonstiges:
50g brauner Zucker
1 EL Bourbon-Vanillezucker
Öl oder Butterschmalz zum Frittieren
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 0.24 inches (0.6cm) and cut out small stars. Collect leftover dough, roll out again and cut out more stars until all the dough has been used. Cover the stars to prevent them from drying out. Mix the brown sugar with the vanilla sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Add the oil/clarified butter to a small pot and heat up to about 350°F (175°C). Deep-fry the stars in small portions until they are lightly golden brown on all sides – takes about 1-2 minutes. Do not let them get too dark or they will turn out dry. Take out of the oil/fat and let drain a moment on a piece of kitchen paper. Roll immediately in the sugar mixture and then let cool down on a wire rack. Repeat until all stars are done. The stars should be served when still a bit warm – they definitely taste best fresh!
2. Den Teig auf einer leicht bemehlten Fläche etwa 0,6cm (0.24 inches) dick ausrollen und kleine Sterne ausstechen. Teigreste sammeln, neu ausrollen und noch mehr Sterne ausstechen, bis der komplette Teig aufgebraucht ist. Ausgestochene Sterne abdecken, damit sie nicht austrocknen. Den braunen Zucker mit dem Vanillezucker in einer kleinen Schüssel vermischen und zur Seite stellen.
3. Das Öl/Butterschmalz in einen kleinen Topf geben und auf etwa 175°C (350°F) erhitzen. Die Sterne portionsweise im Fett ausbacken, bis sie rundum leicht goldbraun geworden sind – dauert etwa 1-2 Minuten. Nicht zu lange frittieren, sonst werden sie zu trocken. Mit einem Schaumlöffel aus dem Fett fischen, auf einem Stück Küchenpapier kurz zwischenparken, damit überschüssiges Fett abtropfen kann und dann in der Zuckermischung wälzen. Auf einem Kuchengitter abkühlen lassen. Mit den restlichen Sternen wiederholen. Die Sterne können noch lauwarm serviert werden – sie schmecken frisch definitiv am besten!
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
PrintDeep-Fried Vanilla Stars
- Prep Time: 00:20
- Cook Time: 00:10
- Total Time: 02:00
- Yield: 30 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: American
Description
Why only bake cookies? You can also deep-fry them easily. Deep-Fried Vanilla Stars – perfect for snacking and decorating ;)
Ingredients
For the dough:
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1.4 oz. (40g) sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1.4 oz. (40g) butter, softened
1 medium egg
1 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
To finish:
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla sugar
oil or clarified butter for frying
Instructions
1. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the butter, egg, milk, and vanilla extract and knead until you get a smooth dough – do not overwork the dough or it will get tough. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 45 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 0.24 inches (0.6cm) and cut out small stars. Collect leftover dough, roll out again and cut out more stars until all the dough has been used. Cover the stars to prevent them from drying out. Mix the brown sugar with the vanilla sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Add the oil/clarified butter to a small pot and heat up to about 350°F (175°C). Deep-fry the stars in small portions until they are lightly golden brown on all sides – takes about 1-2 minutes. Do not let them get too dark or they will turn out dry. Take out of the oil/fat and let drain a moment on a piece of kitchen paper. Roll immediately in the sugar mixture and then let cool down on a wire rack. Repeat until all stars are done. The stars should be served when still a bit warm – they definitely taste best fresh!
Notes
Enjoy baking!