Cuisine: The Polish Palate
Course: Desserts
Diet: Vegetarian, High-Carb, Pescatarian
Occasion: Carnival, Fat Thursday, Dessert & Tea Time, Afternoon Snack, Culinary Heritage

Karnawałowe Róże z Konfiturą (Carnival Roses with Jam)

Crisp, blistered layers of sweet pastry deep-fried to resemble blooming roses, finished with a ruby dollop of jam and a snowfall of icing sugar.
Prep time 30m
Cook time 35m
Rest time 30m
Total 1h 35m
Yield
12
Per serving:
187 kcal
21g Carbs
3g Protein
9g Fat
By Adam Dworak
Published: 11 September 2026

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Ingredients

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Kitchen Kit

  • Heavy-bottomed pan
  • Thermometer
  • Heavy Rolling Pin
  • Round pastry cutters (3 sizes)
  • Slotted Spoon
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Small Ramekin
  • Cling Film
  • Kitchen Paper
  • Knife

Method

  1. Start by preparing the dough. Crack and separate the eggs, dropping the yolks into a large mixing bowl and reserving the whites in a small ramekin for later.
  2. Chuck the sour cream, caster sugar, vodka, and softened butter into the bowl with the yolks. Whisk everything together until fully combined.
  3. Tip the wheat flour onto your work surface, make a well in the centre, and pour in the wet mix along with the salt. Bring it together with your hands, kneading firmly until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
  4. Now for the crucial bit: take a heavy wooden rolling pin and beat the dough relentlessly for about 5 minutes. Flatten it out, fold it over itself, and bash it again. This introduces air bubbles that create those signature blisters when fried. Wrap tightly in cling film and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
  5. Pour the frying oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pan and begin heating it slowly to 175°C.
  6. Cut the rested dough in half. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is paper-thin—almost translucent.
  7. Using three round cutters (or appropriately sized glasses) of different sizes (e.g., 7cm, 5cm, and 3cm), stamp out circles. You need one of each size to build a single rose.
  8. Take a sharp knife and make 4 to 5 small slits evenly around the edges of every circle, being careful not to cut all the way to the centre. These are your petals.
  9. Assemble the roses: lay down a large circle, dab the centre with a tiny drop of the reserved egg white, place a medium circle on top, dab again, and finish with a small circle. Press your finger firmly into the centre of the stack to seal them all together.
  10. Once the oil is up to temperature, carefully drop the roses in, face down (smallest circle facing the bottom of the pan). This forces the petals to open up and "bloom." Fry for about 1 to 2 minutes until golden, then gently flip and fry the other side for a further minute.
  11. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly on kitchen paper. Once cooled, spoon a small dollop of jam into the indented centre of each rose and finish with a heavy dusting of icing sugar.
Chef's Note & Storage
Best eaten on the day. Keep in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate or they will draw moisture and lose their shatter.
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The Bloom of Polish Carnival

As the Polish Karnawał (Carnival) reaches its peak before the ascetic days of Lent, bakeries and home kitchens alike plunge into a frenzy of deep-frying. While pączki (doughnuts) take the heavy crown on Tłusty Czwartek (Fat Thursday), these delicate Karnawałowe Róże—Carnival Roses—are the undisputed beauties of the season. Shatteringly crisp, impossibly light, and rich with the aroma of butter and spirit, they are a masterclass in turning humble pantry staples into edible art.

CHEF'S SECRET: The absolute key to a blistered, delicate pastry is violence. Beating the dough with a heavy wooden rolling pin breaks down the gluten structure and introduces micro-pockets of air. Combined with a splash of vodka—which rapidly evaporates upon hitting the hot oil, preventing greasiness—this ensures a feather-light crunch.

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Shaping the Perfect Petal

The architecture of the rose is simple but requires precision. By stacking three concentric circles of dough and binding them with a mere dab of egg white, you create a layered bud. The real magic happens in the pan: you must drop them into the hot oil face-down. The intense heat shocks the pastry, forcing the edges to fan upwards and outwards, blooming exactly like a rose. Finished with a jewel-like drop of sharp cherry or plum jam, they are a striking contrast of texture and flavour.

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