Hungarian Non Plus Ultra Cookie Recipe- European Blog

Hungarian Non Plus Ultra Cookie Recipe.

Just in time for Easter

Celebrations.

Czegeny Style...

This recipe for Hungarian non plus ultra cookies is adapted from Clara Czegeny's "Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes". Non plus ultra literally means "none better" in French. There are many versions of this cookie from the glory days of the Austro-Hungarian empire. It's considered an apro tea sűtemény or "tiny tea cake" and usually involves two meringue-topped cookies sandwiched together with apricot lekvar or black currant jam. Czegeny's variation features chopped almonds and crushed sugar cubes. I use coarse sugar instead.

Here's a larger photo of Hungarian Non Plus Ultra Cookies.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Dough must be refrigerated: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 48 Non Plus Ultra Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (4 sticks) room-temperature butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 extra-large egg, separated
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
• Coarse sugar
• Apricot lekvar or black currant jam

Preparation:

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg yolk. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing until thoroughly incorporated. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
   
   
2. Place rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll to 1/8-inch thickness between two pieces of parchment paper. Working quickly so dough doesn't get too soft, use a round or scalloped 2-inch cutter for cookies. Cut an equal number of plain cookies and ones with the centers removed (as for linzer cookies). Remove scraps, form into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate. Grab the parchment paper containing the cut cookies by opposite corners, and transfer to a baking sheet.
   
   
3. Brush tops of cookies with centers cut out with beaten egg white. Sprinkle with almonds and coarse sugar. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly golden on the bottom. Remove from oven and cool slightly. While cookies are still slightly warm, sandwich them together with a thin layer of lekvar or jam. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in an airtight container or freeze.

 Linked from Barbara Rolek's Easteuropeanfood.about.com

 As seen on FINE COOKING ONLINE 

 

 

HUNGARIAN EASTER TRADITION - ANGELS’ WINGS FRIED COOKIES!

FROM OUR TRUE HUNGARIAN HERITAGE

~~~~~'

HUNGARIAN EASTER TRADITION

ANGELS’ WINGS FRIED COOKIES

Hungarian Csöröge (Angels' Wings) are those wonderful light as air, crispy, fried dough cookies traditionally prepared for Weddings. Beautifully piled high in pyramid style on cut crystal platters, they are lovely to behold and even most delightful to indulge.  A popular dessert for Sunday dinner and served with coffee after a meal of Beef Gulyas or Chicken Paprikas. It tends to leave powdery traces of sugar on your upper lip, your chin and your nose. The secret is now out!

Angel wings are traditional in several other European cuisines and have been incorporated into other regional cuisines (such as the United States) by immigrant populations. They are most commonly eaten in the period just before Lent, often during Carnival and on Fat Thursday, the last Thursday before Lent – not to be confused with "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. There is a tradition in some countries for husbands to give them to their wives on Friday the 13th in order to avoid bad luck.

Forgács Fánk or Csöröge

Ingredients:

10 large egg yolks

4-5 cups sifted flour

1 tbsp baking powder

3 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

1 oz cognac brandy (or rum)

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, cream egg yolks until thick and lemon coloured. Add all ingredients except flour and beat a little more until well blended. Add flour gradually; beat to a smooth batter then as you add rest of the flour you begin to knead with your hands until dough is smooth as silk, soft and very elastic. Add more flour as needed.

Separate dough into balls and let rest on your noodle board (covered with a bowl). Roll out very thin on a slightly floured pastry board. Cut with zigzag pizza wheel into one inch wide diagonal strips. Take one long strip at a time, cut a slit and take one corner and loop it through the slip to form a flying angel. (See diagram below).

When the oil is hot, place about 10 pieces of dough into the deep fryer or pan at a time. Turn Csöröge after ½-1 minute and fry on other side until light golden (about 1/2 min). Remove onto tray lined with paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

ANGELS’ WINGS FRIED COOKIES

(Smaller recipe)

Forgács Fánk or Csöröge

Here’s another variation on the theme. This one has sour cream in it. Try them both.

Ingredients

1 cup sour cream

4 large egg yolks

1 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

2¼ cups flour

1 oz cognac brandy (or rum)

½ tsp baking powder

¼ cup icing sugar (for dusting)

1 pkg vanilla sugar

Oil/shortening (for frying)

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Form into a soft dough. Roll out and cut as directed in previous recipe (See Diagram- above). Fry quickly in hot Crisco shortening until light brown. Dust with vanilla icing sugar.

Chef’s Hint: All donut recipes should contain 1 shot of rum - it gives it a pleasant taste and during frying - the dough will absorb less oil. (I would suggest 1 shot for the cook - this will give her a bit of courage for the task!)

For more of these amazing recipes - 
visit our lovely website Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes

 

Blessings

 

Clara Margaret Czegeny

Dream Machine Publications

Paris, Ontario, Canada

The "Hot Hungarian Chef"

Hungarian Sweet Noodle Dishes

By Clara Margaret Czegeny COPYRIGHT PUBLISHED ON EZINE ARTICLES SEPT 2010

 

 

One thing for certain;  Hungarian cooking is rich, exciting, sometimes surprising and often irresistible. Hungarians love to eat quality food, often in very large quantities and they have always been resourceful cooks. Their favourite fare makes use of basic, fresh ingredients prepared in simple yet delightful ways. Nevertheless, these dishes can more than hold their own against the most subtle delicacies.

Hungarians love their endless varieties of noodles, pastries and cakes, some of which are considered a main course in their own right. Even average cooks can serve up a different dish for every day of a year, and they don't have much to worry about the following year, either. Some are sweet, others are savoury, but all Hungarian noodles and pastries are very tasty. Kneaded boiled noodles, usually softer than its Italian counterparts, and countless variations on the dumpling may be offered as a main course, and smaller portions make an ideal dessert or side dish.

Of all the desserts served in Hungary, this category of sweetened dumplings and noodles is the most foreign to the Westerner's palate. Yet, whenever I speak to friends who have any Austro-Hungarian background, they always ask about dumpling recipes. They share their individual stories about how their grandmother's served fruit-stuffed dumplings; usually served with ground walnuts, toasted bread crumbs, poppy seed or jams. Once tasted, never forgotten. You have been given fair warning; once you sample any one of these luscious treats, you will NOT be able to resist these classics.

Noodles With Poppy Seeds - Makos Metelt is broad egg noodles sprinkled with ground poppy seeds and sugar.

Noodles With Walnuts - Dios Metelt is broad egg noodles sprinkled with ground walnuts and sugar.

Noodles with Apricot Jam and Walnuts- Laska Teszta Dioval es Lekvaral is same as previous, except the added delight of sweet and tangy homemade Hungarian apricot jam mingles with the delightful flavours and carries it to another level.

Noodles with Apricot or Plum Jam - Lekvaros Metelt is broad egg noodles tossed with apricot or plum jams. When the jam melts a bit on the buttered noodles, the flavour is hard to describe.

Hungarian Noodle Pudding - Magyaros Sult Laska Teszta is a creation of egg noodles, sour cream, raisins, and nuts. Apricot jam joins the party and is baked in a silky smooth egg custard.

Noodle Squares Filled with Jam and Cottage Cheese - Lekvaros es Turos Derelye or Barat Ful. These play a close second to Italian Ravioli, but again, with the sweet cottage cheese component

Cottage Cheese Noodle Pudding - Stiriai Metelt is prepared with tender homemade egg noodles and cottage cheese in a soufflé batter, flavoured with vanilla and lemon zest. Other variations can include adding apples or peaches and or apricot jam.

Cottage Cheese Noodle Pudding - Varga Beles is a close relative of Stiriai Metelt; the brainchild of a brilliant restaurateur. It consists of long, narrow egg noodles mixed with butter, vanilla, raisins and cottage cheese baked between multiple layers of Phyllo pastry, cut into cubes, dusted with copious amounts of powdered sugar and served piping hot.

Treat yourself to a new style of eating. Simple, flavourful, fresh ingredients and absolutely delightful.

Clara M. Czegeny is self-proclaimed Hot Hungarian Chef and Author of Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes Cookbook. For free Sweet Noodle Recipes and more on Hungarian Recipes, 
Visit Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes

PS No where in Hungarian Heritage do Hungarians refer to their

Noodles as pasta.

Just an added glimpse into our culture.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com