Angel wing doughnuts, also named Italian Frappe, have a much more interesting appearance and crunchier texture than regular doughnuts. They are a bit more difficult to prepare than simple doughnuts, but they are worth every effort, because the result is extremely interesting.
If you try this recipe, you will certainly manage to surprise your family and guests.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- A pinch of baking soda or a sachet of dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- Flour, as much as can be incorporated
- 1 tablespoon rum or rum essence
- Oil or butter for frying
Beat the whole eggs vigorously with a pinch of salt, and then add the powdered sugar, butter, oil, rum and baking soda, in this order. After the composition becomes uniform, gradually add the flour and knead the dough with your hands.
It is essential that the texture of the dough is neither too soft nor as hard, similarly to the consistency of noodles. Do not knead the dough too much, because then it will become watery and you will not be able to get the shape you want.
Divide the resulting dough into two equal parts. Set aside one half to rest in the bowl in which it was kneaded, and stretch out the other half to a slightly thicker layer than for noodles. Using a toothed cutting wheel, cut the dough from one end to the other into 4-centimeter-wide strips.
Cut the resulting diagonally every 12 centimeters, thus generating diamond-shaped pieces, and then use a knife to cut a line of about 4 centimeters long in the middle of each piece.
Pinch one end of each piece and pass through the opening in the middle, and then pull out both ends to obtain the bow shape. While shaping the doughnuts, heat up the oil or lard in a pan or saucepan.
Fry the doughnuts until they become golden brown on both sides, then take them out on a flat tray layered with paper towels to absorb the excess fat. They are usually served warm, but they taste just as good when cold.
Tricks for perfect angel wing doughnuts
The secret to delicious angel wing doughnuts lies in using fresh and quality ingredients. Make sure that you only use fresh flour and whole milk, perhaps bought directly from local producers. These ingredients will ensure a soft and well-leavened dough.
Leavening is a critical step in doughnut making. Give the dough enough time to rise, allowing the yeast to work its magic. Place the dough rise in a warm place away from drafts until it doubles in size.
Make sure that the frying oil is heated to the right temperature. Oil that is too cold can cause the doughnuts to absorb too much oil and becoming greasy, while oil that is too hot can burn the outside of the doughnuts before the inside is cooked. The optimum oil temperature is around 175-180°C.
To make sure that the doughnuts are perfectly cooked inside, you can use a simple trick: pierce a doughnut with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, with no traces of raw dough, the doughnuts are ready to be removed from the oil.
How to make doughnuts in the shape of a rose?
The same dough can be easily shaped to form flowers. After rolling out the dough sheet, you can use three glasses of different shapes (one for brandy, one for wine and one for water) to cut out circles.
Place these circles on top of each other, from the largest to the smallest. Then, to join them in the middle, you can press gently with your finger, making sure that the layers stay firmly stuck to each other.
When these “petals” are fried in the hot oil, they will magically change shape, turning into a mouth-watering rose. For extra flavor and color, you can place a sour cherry, a cherry, a blueberry or any other small fruit in the middle.
This modeling variant adds not only a delightful aesthetic, but also a touch of originality and deliciousness to every doughnut. If you also add cream or any other topping, the dish will quickly transform from a classic to a modern and tasty one.
If you want to make the doughnuts special and, you can serve them with different toppings. Jam, vanilla or chocolate cream, or even coconut and caramel custard are delicious options to customize the angel wing doughnuts to your taste.
Doughnuts are best when fresh. Eat them within a day to enjoy the fluffy texture and intense taste. If you don’t want any to go to waste, you can freeze the doughnuts and reheat them later to maintain freshness.