French cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Merveilles Bordelaises

Airy twisted pastries from the southwest, deep-fried golden and scented with orange blossom water and powdered sugar.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 400 g flour
• 80 g sugar
• 80 g soft butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 packet baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tbsp orange blossom water
• 1 organic orange
• 2 tbsp dark rum
• 1 l oil for deep-frying
• 200 g powdered sugar for coating

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and make a well; add the butter in small pieces and the finely grated zest of the organic orange.
2. Add the eggs, orange blossom water and rum and knead for 5 min. into a supple, slightly soft dough that pulls away from the bowl.
3. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 min. so it rolls out easily later.
4. Roll the dough out 3 mm thin on a floured surface and cut into diamonds of about 8 cm with a pastry wheel; slit each diamond in the middle and pull one point through the slit to form a twist.
5. Heat the frying oil to 170°C and fry the merveilles in batches for 1–2 min. per side until puffed and pale golden brown; don't crowd the pot or the temperature will drop.
6. Drain the twists on paper towel, roll them generously in powdered sugar while still warm and serve lukewarm on a large platter.