Weekend Cooking: Rosettes

We're visiting my parents in northwest Wisconsin to celebrate Christmas/New Year's and my Mom brought out the rosettes. Man, talk about heaven. They are so dang melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

A rosette is a thin, cookie-like deep-fried pastry of Scandinavian (Swedish and Norwegian) origin. Rosettes are traditionally made during Christmas time. They are made using intricately designed rosette iron. The iron is heated to a very high temperature in oil, dipped into the batter, then re-immersed in the hot oil to create a crisp shell around the metal. The iron is immediately removed and the rosette is separated from the iron. Usually, the edges of the rosette are dipped into frosting or sugar. Rosette recipes are popular in the United States among families with Scandinavian ancestry.

I found a recipe in my Mom's old, well-loved copy of Betty Crocker's Cooky Book.

Rosettes from Betty Crocker's Cooky Book

1/2 c. Gold Medal Flour
1 Tbls. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 c. Water or milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbls. Vegetable oil
Confectioners' or cinnamon sugar

Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Blend dry ingredients together. Mix remaining ingredients together; stir in. Strain mixture. Heat rosette iron in hot fat (400 degrees) 3" deep in small saucepan. Tap off excess fat on absorbent paper. Deep into batter until 2/3 covered. Immerse in hot fat. Fry until delicately browned. Remove; tip upside-down to drain. Push off rosette.

Heat iron in fat again; repeat process. If iron is too cool batter will slip off; if iron is too hot, batter will stick. Stir batter each time before dipping in iron. Sprinkle rosettes with confectioners' or cinnamon sugar. (Best if only made a or two before served.) Store rosettes in single layers in wax paper-lined boxes. Makes 18 rosettes.

Note: If you use Gold Medal self-rising flour, omit salt.

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve,
Angela

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