Hojaldras are another Christmas holiday specialty. Nowadays you can buy them in supermarkets ready to fry, but I believe that they are so easy to make it’d be a shame not to prepare them myself. They are really worthwhile. I prepared these with my daughter Isabella at her great aunt Isabelita’s house in Santa Fé de Bogotá, and I think we ate half of the platter. They are crunchy, tender, and flaky, sweet and light, and you can’t get enough of them.
Ingredientes:
- 2 cups flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 cups oil for frying
- ½ cup powdered sugar for sprinkling
- In the bowl of a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process for 10 seconds. Add the butter and process 20 seconds. Add the orange juice and 2 tablespoons of water, and process 15 seconds. If the dough does not form a ball and separate from the sides of the processor, then add another tablespoon of water, and process until the dough forms a ball. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in plastic. Let rest for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour lighly on the work surface. Remove the dough from the plastic and sprinkle with more flour if you feel it is a little sticky. Roll with a rolling pin to ¼ inch thickness and cut into 1-inch-wide strips. Cut again crosswise into 1-inch diamond shapes. Place all the 1-inch diamond-cut pieces on the side, and roll each one to 1/8 inch thick. Don’t worry, they won’t stick to the table; just peel them off the counter and fry.
- In a heavy, deep pot over medium heat bring the oil to a temperature of 350 F, add the pieces of dough a few at a time and deep fry for 20 to 30 seconds per side.
- Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Sprinkle with the powdered sugar and serve immediately.
Note: You can keep them for a couple of days in airtight tins.
