INGREDIENTS
½ cup Florida orange juice
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cinnamon stick, 3 inches long
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon grated orange peel
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
Vegetable oil for frying
Confectioners’ sugar
PREPARATION
In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, milk, butter and cinnamon stick. (Mixture will curdle). Bring to a boil over high heat; remove from heat, let stand 15 minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon stick. In a large bowl, mix flour, orange peel and baking powder; make a well in the center. Add warm milk mixture all at once and stir with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating the flour mixture, until all dry ingredients are moistened.
Turn out onto a very well floured surface and knead 2 to 3 times until smooth. Cover, let stand 20 minutes. During this time, the dough will cool and become less sticky. Divide dough in half; roll half on a well floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a floured 3 inch star or round cookie cutter, cut dough into shapes. Place on a paper towel and let dry 10 minutes or until top surface is dry to the touch. Repeat with remaining dough, rolling scraps together. Cut out small designs in each cookie with canapé cutters, so cookie resembles a snowflake. Pour enough oil in a medium skillet to depth of 1 inch. Heat to 350 degrees on a deep fry thermometer. Fry cookies, 2 to 3 at a time, turning once until very lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. When cool, sprinkle liberally with confectioners’ sugar.