Fried Merveilles with Vanilla and Rum

Ingredients

• 250 g All-purpose flour (Sift before use)
• 50 g Granulated sugar (Divided: 30 g in the dough, 20 g for finishing)
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 sachet (8 g) Vanilla sugar
• 100 g Unsalted butter (Melt gently in the microwave on low power)
• 2 Eggs (At room temperature)
• 2 tbsp White rum (Provides the characteristic flavor)
• 1 l Frying oil (peanut or sunflower) (For frying, temperature 180 °C)
• 20 g Powdered sugar (To dust the fried wonders)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter

   Melt the butter in the microwave on low power, stirring every 20 s until a smooth paste is obtained.

   Time: PT2M

2. Mix the dry ingredients

   Pour the flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder and vanilla sugar into a large bowl and mix with a spatula.

   Time: PT3M

3. Incorporate the melted butter, eggs and rum

   Add the melted butter to the dry ingredients, crack the eggs on top, then pour the rum. Mix first with the spatula, then knead by hand until a homogeneous ball forms.

   Time: PT5M

4. Dough rest

   Cover the dough ball with a clean kitchen towel and let rest 40 minutes at room temperature.

   Time: PT40M

5. Shape the wonders

   On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 0.5 cm thickness with a rolling pin. Cut strips 2 cm wide, then cut each strip into diamonds. Score each diamond in the centre with a knife to prevent excessive puffing during cooking.

   Time: PT10M

6. Heat the oil

   Pour the oil into a saucepan or deep fryer, heat to 180 °C. Check the temperature with a thermometer or by dropping a small piece of dough: it should rise to the surface and brown quickly.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

7. Fry the wonders

   Drop the wonders into the hot oil, turn regularly with a skimmer until they are golden on both sides.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 180°C

8. Dust with powdered sugar

   Once all the wonders are fried and drained, dust generously with powdered sugar on both sides before placing on the serving plate.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

200

Protein

3 g

Carbohydrates

25 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Baking powder: Homemade leavening powder (baking soda + cream of tartar)
• Instead of Vanilla sugar: Vanilla extract (½ tsp)
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Vegetable margarine
• Instead of Eggs: Applesauce (¼ tsp per egg)
• Instead of White rum: Amber rum, Rum flavoring
• Instead of Frying oil (peanut or sunflower): Canola oil
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Very fine granulated sugar

Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Wooden spatula
• Plastic wrap or kitchen towel
• Rolling pin
• Kitchen knife
• Cutting board
• Baking sheet
• Pot or deep fryer
• Cooking thermometer
• Skimmer
• Paper towel
• Serving plate (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Dough rest for 40 minutes
• Precisely reach 180 °C for frying
• Score the centre of the diamonds to avoid excessive puffing

Chef Tips from the Video

• Using cold butter cut into small cubes before melting gives a lighter texture.
• Rum adds a subtle aroma; adjust the amount to your preference.
• Scoring the centre prevents the wonders from bursting during frying.
• Serve warm to enjoy the contrast between crispness and melting sugar.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 1 to 2 days. Warm slightly before serving.

Freezer: Not recommended: texture becomes soft after thawing.

Room temperature: Consume the same day, otherwise they lose their crunch.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the dough the day before and let it rest in the refrigerator; bring back to room temperature before shaping.
• The wonders can be fried ahead and quickly reheated in the oven at 150 °C for 5 minutes.