Cornulețe Fragede
(cor-noo-LET-zeh FRAH-jeh-deh)
Dulcegării (Mamaie’s Bakery & Sweets)
If you grew up in a Romanian household, the smell of these baking means it's a holiday, a Sunday, or your grandmother is visiting. The undisputed kings of the cookie platter, real cornulețe fragede are defined by their name—fragede means impossibly tender. The secret is two-fold: high-quality pork lard for a flakiness butter can’t touch, and a splash of vinegar to kill the gluten. They shatter when you bite them, then instantly melt on your tongue. The dough needs a long rest in the fridge, making it the ultimate weeknight hack: mix it on a Tuesday, roll and bake on a Wednesday.
Before you start
Cream the fat and dairy.
In a large mixing bowl, blend the cool lard and sour cream together until creamy, then mix in the egg yolks, white vinegar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and kosher salt until smooth.
Incorporate the dry ingredients with a light touch.
Sprinkle the baking powder over the wet mixture, then add the flour one cup at a time, using your hands to bring the dough together. Stop mixing the exact moment it forms a soft ball—do not over-knead.
Chill the dough.
Divide the dough into 4 equal discs, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight so the fat firms up.
Ingredients
- rendered pork lard1 cup
- full-fat sour cream3/4 cup
- egg yolks2 large
- white vinegar1 tbsp
- vanilla extract1 tsp
- lemon1 med
- all-purpose flour3 1/2 cup
- baking powder1 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- Magiun de Prune1 cup
- powdered sugar1 1/2 cup
- vanilla sugar1 tsp
Method
- 01
Preheat your oven and prepare the baking sheets.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 02
Roll out the chilled dough.
Working with one disc of dough at a time while leaving the others in the fridge, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a circle about 1/8-inch thick.
- 03
Cut the dough into wedges.
Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough circle into 8 to 12 equal pie-shaped wedges.
- 04
Fill and roll the crescents.
Place a half teaspoon of the Magiun de Prune at the wide base of each triangle, then roll the dough up snugly toward the narrow tip and gently curve the ends inward to form a crescent moon.
- 05
Bake until just barely golden.
Bake in the center of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, looking for a very light golden color on the tips and the bottom while the tops remain pale.
- 06
Coat heavily in the vanilla powdered sugar while still hot.
Mix the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar in a wide bowl. Let the baked cookies sit on the pan for just 2 to 3 minutes so they don't break, then gently toss them in the sugar mixture while they are still hot so the sugar melts slightly and sticks as a thick glaze.
Notes
The fat matters.
If you absolutely cannot use lard, substitute an equal amount of high-fat European-style butter (like Kerrygold); they will be slightly less flaky but still excellent.
Sourcing the filling.
Magiun de Prune is a sugar-free, intensely dark plum paste that tastes exactly like the homeland. Look for imported jars at Eastern European delis, or substitute the absolute thickest unsweetened apple or prune butter you can find at a health food store.
Patience pays off.
Thanks to the lard and lack of moisture, these keep beautifully in an airtight container for up to three weeks at room temperature, and actually taste better on day three.
From Cook Romanian in America.