Rosettes.

I love working in a big school - the large staff means there is always someone else who is interested in similar things as you. This past year, our lab technician and I have discovered a mutual love for baking - we will both bring in cookies (him) and cupcakes (me) for the rest of the department to nibble on and share recipes.

So I blame him for the events of the past week... in a moment of weakness I agreed to sign up for the Christmas Cookie Exchange... and then I discovered after that I was responsible for bringing 7 and a 1/2 dozen cookies to an after school event. On a Thursday. I don't have time for this!? Especially when I was in Jasper the previous weekend.

Plus, I am not one of those people who does things half-heartedly. Go big or go home. So of course I can't bring lame cookies to a cookie exchange... (I will not be the person who shows up with chocolate chip cookies! I won't!)

In wanting to bring something unique, something most people will not have tried or made before, I settled on rosettes. My grandmother made them every Christmas and they are definitely a family favorite. Because they are so light and delicate, my grandfather apparently used to eat several because they are nothing more than "wind, air and suction sauce". Whatever that means.

My parents came to the rescue, and loaned me there kitchen and their hands, since this recipe requires fair amount of work per cookie (but soooo worth it!).

Rosettes are a Scandinavian cookie that is made from a light batter (think pancakes) and then each cookie is deep fried in peanut oil on a cast iron form. You need a rosette iron for this, but they're really easy to find online or in specialty kitchen stores.

Rosettes

2 eggs

1 T sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 C flour

1 C whole milk

1 tsp vanilla

peanut oil for deep frying

1 C icing sugar

Beat eggs slightly. Add 1 T sugar and salt. Add flour and milk alternately, blending until smooth. Stir in the vanilla - batter should be about the consistency of pancake or crepe batter.

Heat at least 3 " of oil in a pan to 365 F. Place the rosette iron in the hot oil for 60 seconds to heat up.

Dip the iron into the batter, making sure not to allow the batter to run over the top (or you'll never get the darn things off). Immerse the coated iron in the hot oil and fry for around 25 seconds (until light brown).

Using a fork, slip the rosette off onto a paper towel and repeat.

Coat rosettes in icing sugar when they are cool and store in an air tight container. One recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.