Learn the Recipe
Fattigman Bakelse- From Laurie Veillette
(Poor Man's Pastry)
This is the recipe from the Veillette family. It makes about 200 cookies. A simplified recipe is listed underneath the picture.
Ingredients:
12 egg yolks
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp. salt
1 and 1/8 cups sugar
1 and 1/8 cups heavy cream
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp. lemon extract
About 7 cups of flour
Directions:
Beat egg yolks and whites, salt and sugar for 1/2 hour. Add cream and cardamom and stir together well. Add butter and extract. Add enough flour to make dough stiff enough to roll out thin. Place in refrigerator and chill over night. Roll out thin in small quantities. Cut into diamond shapes. Cut slit in center of each diamond. Pull one corner through slit. Fry in deep fat (365 degrees) until delicate brown. Serve cold dusted with confectioners sugar. Makes about 200.Recipe from: Mrs. Alfred Molde
Fattigman- Poor Man Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup Baker's (superfine) sugar
- 1 Tbsp. cognac or brandy (optional)
- 3 Tbsp. melted butter
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (whipped to stiff peaks)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. freshly ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- vegetable / canola oil for frying
- vanilla sugar or confectioner's sugar
Preparation:
Cream together the eggs, sugar, and brandy (if using). Stir in the melted butter. Gently fold the whipped cream the batter. Sift together the remaining ingredients; with a light hand, mix the dry ingredients into the batter to form a soft dough. Chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Roll the chilled dough out on a floured counter to an 1/8" thickness. Using a fattigman cutter or a pastry cutter, cut the dough into diamond shapes (approximately 1 1/4" wide by 3 1/2" long.
If using a pastry cutter: cut the dough first into 1 1/4" inch strips and then cut across these diagonally to form diamonds. Use a knife to cut a 1/2" slash in the middle of each diamond). Twist one corner of each diamond up through the center slash to make a knot.
Heat two inches of vegetable / canola oil in the bottom of a heavy pot to 375.º Drop in the pastry knots and fry until golden, turning occasionally. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Sprinkle with vanilla sugar or confectioner's sugar and serve immediately (Note: if preparing ahead, store in an airtight container without sprinkling with sugar. Warm in a low oven before serving, then sprinkle with the sugar).
Yield: 4 dozen fattigman cookies.
