Fat Thursday, or Tłusty Czwartek, marks the beginning of the last week of Carnival leading up to Ash Wednesday, occurring on February 27, 2025. This day has deep roots in Polish tradition, where indulging in sweets, especially pączki (Polish doughnuts) and faworki (angel wings), is not just permissible but encouraged. According to local beliefs, those who do not partake on this day will encounter misfortune and lack of prosperity for the rest of the year.
Food enthusiasts are gearing up for this sweet celebration, and recipes like acclaimed chef Magda Gessler's faworki are highly sought after. Gessler's faworki are famed for being crisp, light, and having the perfect melt-in-your-mouth quality. The following is Gessler's recipe for faworki, perfect for anyone looking to try their hand at creating these delightful treats.
Ingredients for Magda Gessler’s Faworki:
- 600 grams of all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons of lard
- 15 egg yolks
- 200 grams of sugar
- 6 tablespoons of sour cream
- 2 tablespoons of vodka
- 1 tablespoon of arak (anise-flavored liquor)
- 500 grams of lard for frying
- 100 grams of powdered sugar
- Vanilla for flavoring
To make the faworki, begin by whisking the lard until it achieves the consistency of sour cream. Next, incorporate the egg yolks, sugar, alcohols, sour cream, and flour to create a smooth and elastic dough. Roll the dough out very thinly, sprinkle lightly with flour, cut it lengthwise, and twist each strip to form the classic faworki shape. Heat up the frying lard and fry the faworki until golden, then drain on paper towels and dust with vanilla powdered sugar.
With Tłusty Czwartek just around the corner, bakeries across Poland have begun showcasing their offerings of pączki and faworki. Reports indicate Poles typically consume around 2.5 pączki each on this festive day, totaling nearly 100 million pączki nationwide! Magda Gessler's pastry shop, Słodko Słony, run by her daughter, has traditional pączki listed for 23 zł PLN each, slightly more than last year, indicating about a 4.5% increase. More sophisticated flavors like those filled with advocaat or plum chocolate command even higher prices at 24 zł PLN each.
The current minimum wage stands at 30.50 zł PLN, meaning many workers would have to labor for over an hour just to afford one pastry. Faworki, which are also on Gessler’s menu, come with a staggering price of 150 zł PLN for about 500 grams, making indulging during Fat Thursday more costly than ever.
For those who seek something truly extravagant, the Kaiser Patisserie, known for its opulent offerings, has introduced their Golden Pączki adorned with 24-karat gold and saffron cream, retailing at 100 zł PLN each—making it the most expensive pączek available anywhere.
Fat Thursday is not just about the treats; it is also about the celebration of indulgence and the rich culinary heritage of Poland. Whether one opts for Gessler's faworki or the exquisite offerings from bakeries around the country, the day is filled with joy and the communal act of sharing delightful pastries. The operation of bakeries preparing for this occasion reflects both festive cheer and the challenges presented by rising costs and consumer demand.
This year, as the country readies for Tłusty Czwartek, it is clear the tradition of sweet consumption remains strong, even if this indulgence has become more financially demanding. Will rising prices dampen the celebratory spirit, or will the joy of Polish culinary traditions prevail, leading many to partake nonetheless? Only time will tell, but for many, the love for pączki and faworki runs deep.