Kichel: rainbow nothings
I always thought these airy cookies were fried, because they were so crisp and light—hence the name “nothings.” I made these with my wee nieces, and looking into the little ladies’ bright three-year-old and six-year-old eyes, I thought, what could make these sugary kichel even better? Colorful sprinkles, of course.
YIELDS
5
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 eggs
- 9 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3-1/2 cups flour, plus extra for kneading
Coating:
- 3 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup colored sprinkles
Directions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, salt, eggs, egg yolks, vegetable oil, vanilla and flour. Beat on low speed for 15–20 minutes, until the dough is smooth and the gluten is developed. Note: This will be the stickiest dough you’ve ever felt.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Generously flour your work surface and tip the dough onto the flour. Knead by hand for three to five minutes, or until the dough is no longer sticky. Scatter a bit more flour on the work surface and place the dough on top, then cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes. Wipe away any excess flour so that the work surface is ready for the next step.
- Combine the sugar and sprinkles in a bowl. Spread half the mixture on your work surface and roll the dough out to six millimeter thickness. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar- sprinkle mixture on top of the dough. Press and flip until nicely coated. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into 2 x 5 centimeter rectangles, pressing the dough into more of the sugar. Then twist each rectangle into a bowtie and place them two centimeters apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookies to wire racks and let cool and dry thoroughly for four hours. Store in airtight container for up to one week.
