Buñuelos

Method9 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Boil the 1 cup syrup water. Put the chopped or shredded piloncillo or dark brown sugar (1 lb) in a medium saucepan and pour all the boiling water over it with the cinnamon stick. Let any solid piloncillo soften under the hot water, then bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes until syrupy. Remove from the heat and remove the cinnamon stick; strain out any broken cinnamon pieces and keep the syrup for serving.

   Check the piloncillo syrup · 15 minUses 1 lb piloncillo, chopped or shredded, about 2 cups packed, or dark brown sugar · 1 cup water for the syrup · 1 true or Ceylon cinnamon stick

2. 2

   Step 2: In a mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, mix the 3 cups dough flour, baking powder (1 tsp), pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon dough sugar. Make a space in the middle and add the egg (1), optional liqueur and all the orange juice. Mix at low speed for a couple of minutes. Add all 4 tablespoons dough butter and continue kneading for 10–12 minutes, until the dough is very smooth, homogeneous and elastic.

   Uses 3 cups all-purpose flour for the dough · 1 tsp baking powder · 1 pinch salt · 1 tbsp sugar for the dough · 1 whole egg · ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice · 4 tbsp unsalted butter for the dough · 1 tsp anise or orange liqueur, optional

3. 3

   Step 3: Grease a large bowl with the separate extra butter. Put all the kneaded dough in the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Rest for 20–30 minutes, checking from 20 minutes, until soft and easy to work with. Divide into 12–15 balls, about 1½ inches across, place on a baking sheet and keep covered while rolling.

   Check the relaxed buñuelo dough · 20 minUses All the smooth kneaded dough · Additional unsalted butter for greasing the dough-resting bowl, as needed

4. 4

   Step 4: Dust the countertop and rolling pin with the separate rolling flour. Roll each ball into a 4–6-inch round. Then begin again with the first round and roll each one as thin as paper without tearing it, dusting the surface and rolling pin as needed. Lay the thin rounds on the table as you finish them.

   Uses All 12–15 rested dough balls · Additional all-purpose flour for dusting the worktop and rolling pin, as needed

5. 5

   Step 5: Leave the thin rounds spread out to air-dry for at least 30 minutes. Check from 30 minutes and continue only until the surfaces feel dry to the touch. Do not leave the raw rounds out overnight, as they become too brittle to handle.

   Check the dry buñuelo rounds · 30 minUses All the thin rolled rounds

6. 6

   Step 6: In a deep, large 12-inch skillet, heat enough vegetable oil to make a ½-inch-deep supply over medium-high heat. When very hot but not smoking, carefully lower in one dried round. It should bubble actively. Fry the first side for about 20 seconds, until browned.

   Check the first buñuelo face · 1 minUses Vegetable oil to make a ½-inch-deep frying supply in a 12-inch skillet, as needed · One dried round from the prepared batch

7. 7

   Step 7: Turn the buñuelo with tongs and fry its second side for about 20 seconds, until browned, crisp and cooked through. Lift it from the oil and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate or baking sheet. Keep the frying oil in the skillet for the remaining rounds.

   Check the second buñuelo face · 1 minUses The first buñuelo being fried · The hot frying supply used for the second face

8. 8

   Step 8: Fry the remaining dried rounds one at a time in the retained hot oil, for about 20 seconds per side, until browned, crisp and cooked through. Drain each on paper towels with the first cooked buñuelo. Keep the oil hot but not smoking and watch each turn; the total repeated frying time depends on whether you made 12 or 15 rounds.

   Uses The first cooked buñuelo for the serving plate · The frying oil retained in the skillet · The remaining dried rounds from the batch

9. 9

   Step 9: Serve the crisp buñuelos with the prepared piloncillo syrup for drizzling as desired. Alternatively, sprinkle with sugar and ground cinnamon or powdered sugar, or drizzle with honey. Keep any unused syrup separate; this batch makes 12–15 buñuelos and about 1½ cups syrup.

   Uses The cooked drained buñuelos for serving · Prepared syrup with cinnamon stick and pieces removed, for drizzling as desired · Optional sugar and ground cinnamon, powdered sugar or honey for serving, as desired