Larks of dough are cookies or rolls that are first shaped like the mentioned bird and then baked in the oven. Such a dessert can be prepared from any base. The main thing is to give it the right and beautiful shape.
Few people know when they bake larks from dough. Most housewives remember this sweet cookie from early childhood. After all, it was prepared by our mothers and grandmothers on the day of the vernal equinox, that is, March 22. With its unusual appearance and special taste, such pastries always delight children. So let's take a look together how to prepare the mentioned products from a sand and yeast base.
Dough Lark : Step-by-Step Recipe
Before starting the baking process, it is necessary to knead the sand base. For her we need:
- good quality margarine - 200 g;
- large raw eggs - 2 pcs.;
- white sugar - a full glass;
- low-calorie mayonnaise - 200 g;
- potato starch - 2 large spoons;
- light flour - from 2 glasses;
- table soda - a dessert spoon without a slide;
- chopped cinnamon - a dessert spoon.
Cooking sand base
Shortbread dough for larks is cooked very quickly. To begin with, softened margarine must be laid out in a bowl, and then sift light flour to it. After that, both components should be rubbed with your hands until a homogeneous oil crumb is obtained. To it is required to add potato starch, mayonnaise and table soda. Next, beat raw eggs with sugar and pour the resulting mass into a previously prepared bulk mixture.
By mixing all the ingredients with your hands, you should get a soft and elastic shortcrust pastry. After kneading the ball from it, it is recommended to place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes (or for 10 minutes in the freezer).
We form sand products
How to make a lark of pastry (shortbread)? For this, the cooled base must be rolled into a layer with a thickness of not more than 5 millimeters, and then cut out small birds. If you do not have the proper talent, then for this you can use special molding knives. They are sold in almost all specialized candy stores. In the future, using the edge of a knife, each lark is recommended to make plumage and eyes. In addition, all products should be sprinkled with crushed cinnamon.
Bake sand products in the oven
Larks of pastry (shortbread) are baked in the oven relatively quickly. To do this, semi-finished products should be gently mixed on a greased baking sheet and sent to a heated cabinet. Cooking cookies is desirable at a temperature of 200 degrees for 25-30 minutes. During this time, the larks will be completely baked, become rosy and crispy.
Serve crispy dessert to the table
After the delicious larks from the dough are baked, they should be removed from the pan and cooled. Serve shortbread cookies to the table preferably with black tea, coffee or hot chocolate. Good appetite!
Step-by-step recipe for larks from lean dough
If you decide to cook pastries during the period of Great Christian Lent, then it is recommended to make it without products of animal origin (that is, without eggs, cooking fats, milk components, etc.). To do this, use the following ingredients:
- ordinary boiled water - about 600 ml;
- granular yeast - approximately 4 g;
- white sugar - 3 large spoons;
- iodized salt - a couple of pinch;
- vegetable oil - 150 ml;
- light flour - from 900 g;
- small raisins - a handful is needed;
- poppy seeds for filling.
Cooking lean dough
Larks made of dough (yeast) are very tasty and beautiful, but it should be kneaded correctly. To do this, dissolve 2 large tablespoons of sugar in warm boiled water , and then add yeast in granules to it. Leave the ingredients aside for ¼ hours. Then they should add vegetable oil, pour iodized salt and light flour. After mixing the components and getting a thick dough, it must be covered with a napkin and left warm for 60 minutes. During this time, it is recommended to periodically shake the base with the palm of your hand, so that it settles and rises again.
Processing additional ingredients
How to bake larks from the dough? Now you need to process all additional products. Poppy seeds (about 200 g) should be poured ½ cup boiling water and pour a large spoonful of sugar. Having insisted the ingredients aside for half an hour, they need to be put on low heat and cook until a thick mass is obtained. In the future, it must be cooled.
As for the black medium-sized raisins, it should be thoroughly washed and scalded with boiling water. Dried fruits must be used to decorate convenience foods, making eyes out of them.
We form lean products
After the yeast dough has reached, it must be divided into several parts and rolled into rectangular layers. Having laid the poppy seed filling in the central part, the base should be wrapped in a roll, and then cut into products with a length of 15 centimeters. From the obtained scraps, it is necessary to form larks by folding them in a knot. In the future, from the ends of the nodules should make the head and tail of the bird. It is also necessary to form wings, plumage and eyes from raisins.
Dessert baking process
How to bake larks from the dough? After the products are formed, they must be moved to a baking sheet and put in the oven. It is recommended to bake rolls with poppy seeds for 55-60 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees. During this time, they will increase in size, become lush, ruddy and very tasty.
Serve pastries to the table
Having prepared the larks from yeast dough, they should be placed on a flat dish and served hot to the table. In addition to baking, you must present a cup of hot tea or some other drink.
How to make butter baking?
If you do not adhere to Lent, then it is better to cook larks from a rich yeast base. It kneads almost the same way as described just above. However, you should definitely add one beaten chicken egg, a little fat milk and clarified or softened butter (margarine). Such a composition will make baking more high-calorie, tender and tasty.
As for the filling, it is good to use various candied fruits, marmalade and even jam as it.
To summarize
As you can see, at home larks are baked quite quickly and easily. Such baking will be able to make even an inexperienced chef. In addition to a sweet shortbread or yeast base, this dessert is very often made from puff pastry. The main advantage of such products is that you can buy the mentioned basis in almost any store.
Salted dough larks are also very popular with pastry lovers. It is made from the same base (sand or yeast), but without the addition of granulated sugar, but using various spices (salt, pepper, paprika, basil, mustard seeds, caraway seeds, etc.).
Whatever basis you use for preparing cookies or rolls in the form of larks, in any case, your baking will turn out to be very tasty and tender. It’s not a shame to present such a dessert or salty products to the festive Easter table, at which all your relatives and friends will gather.