Croquettes

🍪 Small crisp sweet fried dough cubes, eight snack portions; no yeast or filling.

Ingredients

• 250 g plain wheat flour
• 60 g granulated sugar
• 40 g softened unsalted butter
• 2 eggs, about 100 g without shells
• Up to 20 ml pasteurized milk, only if dough is too dry
• 2 g finely grated zest from washed lemon
• 1 g fine salt
• 10 g extra flour for work surface
• 1 litre neutral vegetable oil suitable for deep-frying, for bath

Preparation

Weigh ingredients. Mix soft butter and sugar, then beaten eggs and lemon zest; never taste raw mixture.

Add 250 g flour and salt; gather into firm pliable dough. Add milk gradually only if crumbly, at most 20 ml.

Cover dough and refrigerate 15 minutes; this is resting, not rising. Clean raw-egg surfaces.

Lightly dust surface with reserved 10 g flour. Roll about 8 mm thick, cut roughly 1 cm cubes and separate without excess flour.

Heat oil to about 165 °C in stable pot no more than half full. Use thermometer and dry skimmer; never leave unattended or add water.

Fry small batches 4–6 minutes each, gently separating, until golden without dark browning; about 20 minutes active frying total.

Drain and cool about 15 minutes. Open a cooled cube: centre must be cooked without wet raw dough. Adjust remaining batches’ size or time if needed.

Divide eight portions. Seal completely cold in clean dry airtight box, cool and dry, preferably 3–5 days. Cool oil before handling.