Deep-Fried “Twigs”

Khvorost are a popular Christmas treat. These cookies came to Russia by way of Scandinavia, where similar treats, klenäter, are still prepared for the Swedish Christmas board. In Russian, khvorost means “twigs,” and the gnarled shape and crisp texture of the cookies do seem to recall small branches. When they are sprinkled with a goodly amount of confectioners’ sugar and piled high on a plate, one can easily imagine forest twigs covered with snow.

While khvorost are usually m