Angel wings is the Danish name for Polish faworki — paper-thin strips of dough twisted through a slit in the middle and baked until completely crisp. Traditionally they’re deep-fried in hot fat, but the airfryer handles the job with 40 grams of melted butter and a pastry brush. The result is light, almost glass-like wings that crack when you bite into them, and a kitchen with no frying smell at all.
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The secret isn’t the machine, it’s the dough: four egg yolks, sour cream and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, kneaded so hard that it turns smooth and elastic. That treatment is what gives the finished Angel wings their characteristic little bubbles. They’re traditionally associated with Shrovetide and carnival season, but I bake them all winter long.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Why I love Angel wings in the airfryer
A pot with a liter of boiling oil is the biggest reason most people only make Angel wings once a year. In the airfryer, the oil quantity, the thermometer, and the greasy smell that lingers in the curtains the next day all disappear. Instead, you brush the dough with melted butter and bake at 180°C, and cleanup is just a sheet of baking paper.
In return, there’s one place where the airfryer is fussier than the deep fryer: thickness. Deep frying puffs the dough up from all sides within seconds, while hot air dries and bakes it. Hit the right thickness, about 1 mm, and the Angel wings turn out at least as crispy as the deep-fried version — just without the fat.
Why the dough needs to rest for 30 minutes
The long 8-10 minute kneading develops the gluten, which is exactly why the dough keeps shrinking back every time you roll it out. Half an hour of rest at room temperature under plastic wrap lets the gluten network relax, and afterward you can roll the dough paper-thin without fighting it. Skip the rest, and you’ll end up with thicker strips than you think — and chewy Angel wings as a result.
My kitchen test of Angel wings
I’ve baked Angel wings in my Philips XXL at 180°C hot air, and 5-6 minutes is the entire window. I flip them after 3 minutes so both sides bake evenly, and take them out as soon as they’re pale gold and completely firm. If they turn dark brown, they taste bitter — there are only a few seconds between golden and too far.
The first time, I rolled the dough too thick, and the wings turned soft in the middle. The second time, I got down to about 1 mm, where I could almost see the countertop through the dough, and the difference was total. Count on 89 minutes from mixing bowl to powdered sugar: 35 minutes of prep, 30 minutes of resting, and 24 minutes of total baking time, since the roughly 24 Angel wings need to bake in several batches in a single layer.
Brush all the way to the edges and into the twist. The butter is the only color Angel wings get in an airfryer — skip a corner, and it stays white and floury.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The first and most decisive mistake is dough that’s too thick. Two millimeters sounds close to one, but it’s the difference between crispy and chewy — keep rolling until the countertop shines through. The next mistake is an overcrowded basket: if the Angel wings sit on top of each other, they steam instead of crisping up, so bake one layer at a time, even if it costs you an extra batch. The third mistake happens right at the end, when the powdered sugar is sifted on too early. Dust warm Angel wings, and the sugar absorbs moisture and turns sticky — wait until they’ve cooled completely on a wire rack, and only sift the powdered sugar on right before serving.
How to serve Angel wings
Angel wings should be eaten cold, freshly baked the same day. They hold up fine on their own, but a few classic companions elevate them:
- Black coffee or hot cocoa for the Shrovetide table
- On the cake platter alongside Shrove buns and other carnival pastries
- Powdered sugar mixed with half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon instead of plain sugar
- A glass of sweet dessert wine, if the Angel wings are served as dessert
Storage and reheating
Let the Angel wings cool completely on a wire rack before you pack them away — they only become truly crispy once they’re cold all the way through. After that, they keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If they go soft along the way, 1-2 minutes in the airfryer at 160°C restores the crispness. Angel wings aren’t suitable for freezing; the dough is far too thin to survive the moisture from thawing.
Angel wings are one of those bakes where technique matters more than shopping. Seven completely ordinary ingredients, a rolling pin, and a bit of patience are all it takes. Roll thin, brush thoroughly, and let them cool — that’s how you get the crunchy sound that belongs to Shrovetide.
FAQ
The dough has been rolled too thick. It needs to be paper-thin, about 1 mm, so you can almost see the countertop through it. Chewiness is also caused by too little kneading — the dough needs to be kneaded hard for 8-10 minutes and then rest for 30 minutes before you roll it out.
No, not if you want them to turn golden. The airfryer replaces the deep fryer with hot air, and the 40 grams of melted butter is the only source of color and crispness. Brush both sides all the way to the edges and also inside the twist.
About 24 pieces, so 6 per serving for four people. Count on several batches in the airfryer, since the Angel wings need to lie in a single layer at 180°C for 5-6 minutes without overlapping.
Recipe
Angel wings in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Rullehjul
- 1 Brush
- 1 Bagepapir (til airfryer)
- 1 Sigte
Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Dough
- Add the 4 pcs egg yolks, 100 g crème fraîche and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and bring it together into a dough. Knead the dough vigorously on the worktop for 8-10 minutes, slapping it against the worktop as you go. It should become completely smooth, firm and elastic — it is the long kneading that gives the finished angel wing its characteristic small bubbles.
- Cover the dough with cling film, and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Without resting, the dough will shrink back again every time you roll it out.
Rolling and twisting
- Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Keep the other three covered while you work with the first — paper-thin dough dries out quickly.
- Roll out the first piece on a lightly floured worktop until the dough is paper-thin, about 1 mm. You should almost be able to see the worktop through it. The thickness alone determines whether the angel wings turn out crispy or chewy.
- Cut the dough into strips of about 3 x 12 cm with a pastry wheel or a sharp knife. Then make a 2-3 cm lengthways slit in the middle of each strip.
- Pull one end of the strip through the slit in the middle, and gently smooth out the twist so the wing lies flat. Repeat with the remaining strips and the three other pieces of dough.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C fan.
- Brush the angel wings on both sides with 40 g butter. The butter replaces the deep-frying and is what gives colour and crispness in the air fryer, so be thorough — including inside the twist.
- Place the angel wings in a single layer on a piece of air fryer baking paper, and bake for 5-6 minutes at 180 °C. Turn them after 3 minutes so they bake evenly. They are done when they are light golden and completely firm — they must not turn dark brown, or they will taste bitter.
- Repeat with the rest of the angel wings. The basket must not be overcrowded; if they lie on top of each other, they will steam instead of turning crispy.
Serving
- Let the angel wings cool completely on a wire rack. They only become properly crispy once they are cold all the way through.
- Sift 3 tbsp icing sugar over the angel wings just before serving. If you dust them too early, the icing sugar will absorb moisture and become sticky.
Our notes for the recipe
Three things determine the result: long kneading, paper-thin rolling and thorough brushing. Because the angel wings are not deep-fried, the melted butter is the only source of colour and crispness — so brush both sides all the way to the edges. Bake only one layer at a time. Variation:
Grate the zest of an organic lemon into the dough for a fresher flavour, or mix half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon into the icing sugar for dusting. A few drops of bitter almond oil in the dough is also classic. Serving:
Serve the angel wings cold and freshly baked the same day with coffee or hot cocoa. They belong to Shrovetide and carnival, but work all winter as a crisp addition to the cake table. Portion size:
The recipe makes about 24 angel wings, i.e. 6 pieces per serving. If your air fryer is smaller, plan for more batches — the basket must not be overcrowded.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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