Speaking of cake flour.....time to re-visit our family recipe for bow-ties. These fried treats aka "angel wings" are best when rolled as thin as possible, yielding a crispy light treat. For years we made these from the same recipe as our Strufoli or honey clusters ( see the New year's Batch blog entry). We would make one dough, usually 12 eggs worth, make 3/4 of the dough strufoli ( the clear family favorite) and 1/4 of the dough into bow-ties. The strufoli always come perfect... the bow ties always suffered from what I like to call " stretch back" . When you try to roll it thin, it stretches back like a pizza dough.

Years ago I switched my cannoli shell recipe and my pizza dough recipe to cake flour and voila! no stretch back.  Why not try the same with the bow ties! This Christmas I made the bow tie dough with all cake flour, no stretch back, and thin beautiful bows. My mom would really be proud of this batch!  

Bow Tie Recipe 2018

makes about 40

3 eggs

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups cake flour ( maybe more if the dough is too sticky)

vegetable oil for frying

confectioners sugar 

With an electric mixer, mix eggs  butter and vanilla. Add baking powder, salt and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead in any additional flour to make a soft, not sticky dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough very thin. Using a pastry cutter, cut the dough into strips about 2" x 4 ". Cut a slit in the center, and twist dough through to make a bow. ( or twist as desired).

Fry bows until light. Cool completely and dust with confectioners sugar.