Gusinye Lapke: A Slavic Holiday Cookie for Your Consideration
or what you would call in English - "Goose Feet."
Hello and welcome to Chesnok: Notes from a Post-Soviet Kitchen. If you’re here and somehow not already subscribed, well, here you go:
Now before we dive into the post, a couple of things!
If you’re in the New England area, I am teaching an *in-person* Georgian khinkali (soup dumpling) and khachapuri (the flaky, penovani kind) cooking class at Milk Street in Boston on Thurs, February 6th. It’s my first time teaching in-person in years, so come join!! It would make for a great holiday gift, just saying ;)
And speaking of holiday gifts, may I also suggest one of my cookbooks?
Hot Cheese makes a great white elephant gift or would be delightful paired with this cheese baker (a perfect home for the baked brie w/ pear-ginger compote and peppery hazelnuts recipe), a fondue or even racelette set.
As for Everyday Cake, it’s great for bakers of any level. Pair it with a fun bundt pan, a set of baking spices, or a beautiful cake server or stand. If my chocolate fudge cake is any sign (which, according to
of , may be the best chocolate sheet cake in the universe), this book has some real “bangers” if I do say so myself.As always, thank you all for your support - especially you paid subscribers :) With my current cookbook project wrapping up, I’ll finally have the time and energy to properly invest in this newsletter, plan more cooking classes (virtual and in person), and maybe even put together a reel or two. Can’t wait to see where next year leads me - cheers to 2025!
Hello friends,
I have a confession... I have not undertaken a single ounce of baking this holiday season. Don’t get me wrong, digitally speaking, I’ve consumed hundred of holiday cookies and sweets over the past few weeks. It seems like everyone is on a baking spree these days- and pushing some kind of gift guide for that matter. But with moving, settling in, traveling for Thanksgiving (that involved two 12 hour drives within one long weekend), I just haven’t had the energy or time to do any baking myself.
Up until now! I didn’t want this year to slip away without one last post (maybe two, let’s see), and so I decided, ok—why not throw my hat into the holiday cookie ring too. I was between two Slavic classics: shokolodnaya kolbasa (chocolate salami) and gusinye lapki (tvorog pastry cookies). I took a poll on IG and after 300 votes (!) the clear winner was gusinye lapki, which literally translates to “goose feet” for the way they are shaped.
These aren’t strictly holiday cookies — we make them year-round, served with a cup of tea or coffee. But I think they’d make for a fun and unique addition to a typical American holiday dessert spread. And while they look impressive, they couldn’t be easier to make.
Combine softened butter and tvorog (farmer cheese), a little baking powder and salt, and then gently knead in flour until you have a cohesive dough—that’s it! After a rest, roll out a disc, cut out rounds, and then working with one at a time, dip a round into sugar, fold in half, and repeat until you have a— goose’s foot! From there you can cut two slits at the fanning edges to further mimic a goose’s three claws (nails? toes?), but feel free to skip like I did. Either way, once baked, the pastries turn out golden and crisp with a lovely crackly layer of sugar on the outside. The inside is buttery and tender. I dare you to only eat one!!
A few notes before you get baking:
I’ve opted for flavoring the sugar with a packet of Dr. Oetker’s vanilla sugar (a favorite of Slavic bakers and is super easy to get these days at most grocery stores), but I think it would be equally delicious with ground cinnamon (I love this super fragrant one from Burlap & Barrel) or cardamom (putting this cardamom grinder, also from B&B, on my wishlist).
As for the tvorog/farmer cheese, you can make your own or use store-bought. You’re all set if you have an Eastern European/Polish market near you —I love this Fresh Made brand “Amish” Farmer Cheese. But I’ve started to see it more and more at big chain grocery stores, too. When in doubt, save yourself a trip and do what I always: call the grocery store ahead of time to see if they have it in stock.
If you want them a little more on the flakier side, freeze your butter and then grate it into your flour (that’s already whisked w/ the baking powder and salt), mixing it in as you go to avoid clumps. Once all grated, work the butter into the flour a bit more with your fingers, add in your tvorog. Start mixing it in with a spoon and fork and then switch to your hands- gently knead until it comes together. Allow it to rest for at least 2 hours. Proceed with the rest of the recipe. As you’re rolling and cutting out the dough, just be a bit more mindful of keeping your dough cool (you don’t want that butter to melt!) and definitely pop those babies into the fridge/freezer to firm them up before baking.
I find that gusinye lapke are best within the first few hours of baking so what I like to do is bake off what we’ll eat that day and then freeze the rest. Then when guests are coming over or a sugar craving hits, I can pop the pastries straight into the oven and serve them up fresh.
Gusinye Lapke (Goose’s Feet)
Farmer Cheese Pastry Cookies
Makes 40 to 45
Ingredients
14 oz. (400 g) tvorog (farmer cheese)
7 oz (200 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Diamond crystal kosher salt
2 ⅓ cup (305 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
⅔ cup (165 g) granulated sugar (I like using something a little more coarse, like organic cane sugar or sparkling sugar, for more texture)
1 packet (9 g) vanilla sugar (optional)
Instructions
To make the dough with a food processor: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tvorog, butter, baking powder, and salt and process, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, until a smooth paste forms with no visible clumps of butter or cheese. Add the flour and pulse just until the dough starts to come together and when you squeeze it, it holds together. (Better to under mix, then over mix- you can always finish kneading it by hand).
To make the dough with an immersion blender or by hand: In a large bowl, add the tvorog, butter, baking powder, and salt. Use an immersion blender to whiz together the ingredients until a smooth paste forms with no visible clumps of butter or cheese. Or just use the back of a spoon to combine everything and to smooth out as many clumps as possible. Add the flour. Use a spoon to mix the tvorog into the flour mixture until a shaggy dough forms.
Whichever method you used, dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until it comes together in a cohesive mass. It should be just slightly tacky, but if it’s actually sticky, then dust your surface and dough with flour and knead to incorporate—add more flour until desired consistency is achieved.
Divide the dough into two portions. Press each gently into a disk. Wrap the discs in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up 2 days.
To roll out and shape the cookies: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the sugar and vanilla sugar in a shallow bowl or small plate.
Working with one disc of dough at a time, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and lightly dust it with flour. If you’re impatient like me, use a rolling pin to bang it a handful of times until to slightly flatten it and make it easier to roll out. Otherwise let it sit out for 5 to 10 minutes.
Roll out the dough into about a 16-inch (40.5-cm) round that’s about ⅛-in (3 mm) thick. Using a 3-inch (or larger, up to you) biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, cut rounds in the dough. You should get about 18. Gather up the scraps, stack and press them together, and set aside in the fridge (you can roll them out at the end to squeeze out a couple more cookies).
Working with one round at a time, press one side of the round into the sugar. Fold it in half (sugared-side should be on the inside) to form a half moon shape. Press one side into the sugar and fold it in half (sugared-side inside) again. Press one side into the sugar and transfer the cookie, sugared-side up, to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the rounds. Pop the shaped cookies into the fridge while you work on the other disc of dough, and then the scraps.
Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes* or until puffed, firm, and lightly golden on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve while still warm or at room temperature.
Store any leftovers in airtight container at room temperture. I like them best on the first day but they’ll keep for several days.
*: Ok, here me out. We’re currently living in a furnished rental while we look for a house and let’s just say the oven we currently have runs… a bit wild. I’ll set it to 375°F and it’ll fluctuate from 360°F to 420°F the entire time. It drives me wild. So, I know this is bad form, but take the timing with a grain of salt— it might be closer to 20 to 25. Just periodically check on the cookies and look out for the cues, rather depending on timing alone.
These look delicious! I remember you teaching the chocolate salami recipe at a Book Larder holiday baking class (or maybe it was some other kind of baking class?), and I had completely forgotten about it. Going to look that one up right now.....
They look scrumptious!