Confetti and Streamers – Carnival Sweet Treats
Category: Sweets
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Sugar | 80g |
| All-purpose Flour (00) | 500g |
| Butter | 40g |
| Eggs | 3 |
| Grappa (or rum) | 30ml |
| Whole Milk | 30ml |
| Salt | to taste |
| Lemon Zest | 1 |
| Food Coloring (gel) | as needed |
| Egg White | 1 |
| Vanilla Bean Pod | 1 |
| Powdered Sugar | to taste |
| Peanut Oil (for frying) | as needed |
Instructions:
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Prepare the Dough: Start by preparing the base dough for your confetti and streamers. In a large bowl (or the mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment set to medium speed), sift the all-purpose flour and create a well in the center. Add the sugar, the finely grated zest of one untreated lemon, a pinch of salt, and the seeds of a vanilla bean. Mix everything together.
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Incorporate the Butter: Softened butter at room temperature should be added to the flour mixture. Mix until the dough begins to come together.
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Add the Liquids: Gradually pour in the grappa (or rum if you prefer). While the alcohol will evaporate during baking, feel free to substitute with rum flavoring if you’re avoiding alcohol altogether. Add the whole milk next and continue to mix until a smooth, homogeneous dough is formed. Knead gently to bring everything together.
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Divide the Dough for Coloring: Divide the dough into equal portions based on how many colors you want for your confetti and streamers. This recipe uses four colors—yellow, blue, red, and green, but you are free to choose any colors you prefer. Add a small amount of gel food coloring to the center of each portion. Remember to wear disposable latex gloves when handling food coloring, as it can stain your hands.
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Color the Dough: Gently knead the food coloring into each portion until the color is fully incorporated. If you’d like more intensity, add more food coloring until the desired shade is achieved. Always cover the remaining dough with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out while you work on the colored portions.
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Roll and Shape the Dough: Once each colored portion is ready, roll them out using a pasta machine or by hand. Roll one portion to a thickness of about 1mm. You will use this to make the streamers and the other portion to make the confetti.
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Make the Streamers: Take one portion of the colored dough and pass it through the pasta machine, starting from the widest setting. Gradually reduce the thickness to about 1mm. Dust lightly with flour and roll it up into a cylinder shape. Lightly brush the first layer of the dough with egg white and then roll the dough into another layer. This will form a spiral shape, the signature look for streamers. Set these aside on parchment paper.
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Make the Confetti: Using the remaining colored dough, roll it out into a 1mm thick sheet. With a small round cutter (approximately 3 cm in diameter), cut out small circles to form the confetti. Gather the scraps and re-roll them to make additional confetti pieces.
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Frying: Heat the peanut oil in a deep frying pan to a temperature of 170°C-180°C (340°F-355°F). Once the oil is hot, gently lower the streamers and confetti into the hot oil, one at a time. The dough should fry quickly—only for about 30 seconds—so the colors remain bright and vivid. Remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels to remove any excess oil.
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Alternative Baking Option: If you prefer to bake your confetti and streamers, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 20 minutes. However, the result will differ from the fried version: the confetti will not be as puffy, and the colors might not be as vibrant.
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Final Touch: Once all the confetti and streamers are fried and cooled, carefully slide the metal cylinders from the streamers to reveal their spiral shape. If you like, dust the confetti and streamers with powdered sugar for an extra touch of sweetness and festivity.
Tips:
- Coloring Tip: Always use gel food coloring for more intense and vivid hues. Avoid liquid food coloring as it can alter the texture of the dough.
- Frying Tip: To keep the oil at the correct temperature, test with a small piece of dough before frying the whole batch. The dough should sizzle immediately but not burn quickly.
- Storage: Store your confetti and streamers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They will keep their crunch and color if properly stored.
Enjoy your homemade carnival treats that are sure to bring joy to your celebration!
