Airy Buñuelos Food

MEXICAN BUñUELOS

Steps:

• Place the 1 cup of water and the piloncillo in a medium-size saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until the piloncillo dissolves and it looks like liquid caramel.
• Carefully add the rest of the water, cinnamon stick, guavas, aniseed and orange peel and bring to a boil. Cook for about 6 minutes, stir and boil for 4 more minutes. Set aside to use as a topping for the buñuelos.
• If you want a thicker consistency, simmer for a longer period of time until desired thickness. The syrup keeps well refrigerated for up to 1 week.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.
• In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, 1 Tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• Form a well in the center and add the egg, melted butter and vanilla. Mix until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Slowly add the water a tablespoon at a time, mixing and kneading until you have a soft and smooth dough. This will take less than 5 minutes. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• While the dough is resting prepare your working area with a rolling pin, a large dish with paper towel or open paper bags, extra flour for rolling the circles, a large frying pan with the vegetable oil ready for the moment you start frying the Buñuelos.
• Divide the dough in 12 small balls and cover. Heat 3/4 inch of oil the large frying pan.
• Place one of the dough balls in your already floured working surface and stretch with your rolling pin. Roll out each ball to forma a circle as thin as possible without breaking the dough.
• To give that extra stretching to the Buñuelo, place on the inverted bowl or clay pot covered with the pastry towel and pull the edges very gentle. The Buñuelo should be thin almost transparent. Before cooking, some people like to place all the already former buñuelos over a clean tablecloth, in a large table, making sure they don't touch each other. This step will dry the dough, the buñuelos will be even crispier, and absorb less oil while cooking.
• Fry the buñuelos in very hot oil until they are golden and crispy. This step will take a few seconds. Place the buñuelos on a plate covered with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Serve warm or at room temperature and sprinkle with sugar. If you do not sprinkle the sugar right away they can still be nice and crispy for another day and just add the sugar at serving time. If you prefer to serve them warm, place them in your oven in a low setting for 5 minutes. Now, we need some hot chocolate to go along with the buñuelos.

BUñUELOS (AN AUTHENTIC MEXICAN RECIPE)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, with a dough hook attachment, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Mix together.
• Pour the oil into the warm water, then pour this into the dry ingredients.
• Mix together with the dough hook for 3-4 minutes until the dough has formed into a ball.
• Prepare a clean work surface, sprinkle with a small amount of flour, remove the dough from the bowl, and place in the flour. Continue to knead the dough for 1-2 minutes until dough is soft and no longer sticky. Add flour as needed in small amounts to achieve this.
• Cover the dough and let sit 30 mins. (I always just place a small bowl over the dough while it's on the counter.)
• Divide dough into smaller portions about 40-45 grams each, then pinch and roll the dough into small ball shapes. This will make about 13 dough balls. Cover with a clean towel, let sit for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oil to 350-375℉ while dough is resting.
• Prepare the Piloncillo Syrup (instructions below).
• Pour the extra 1/2 cup of flour for rolling dough into a small bowl and set aside.
• Prepare Cinnamon Sugar by combining the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
• After letting the dough rest, working one dough ball at a time, dip the dough into the flour, coating all over. Using your fingers, flatten the dough ball out and gently press the dough out into a circle shape. Then roll into a 6 inch circle using a rolling pin. It should be fairly thin, this will help it fry easier without puffing up.
• Place one dough circle into the oil, and gently press down into the oil using a metal spatula, or tongs, to help prevent large bubbles from forming in the bunuelos. Small bubbles are expected, but don't allow the entire top to bubble up in one bubble. Continue frying for about 1-2 minutes, once the bottom is crisp and golden, flip and continue to fry the other side. Will be crisp and golden when done.
• Remove the Bunuelos from the oil, place on a large baking sheet lined with a wire cooling rack. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while still hot. Be careful not to burn your fingers flipping it over to get both sides.
• Serve warm with a cup of piloncillo syrup on the side for dipping. OR you can pour the piloncillo syrup over the top.

MEXICAN BUNUELOS

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In smaller bowl, beat eggs and milk. Add this gradually, beating, to flour mixture.
• Add a half a stick melted butter, beat.
• Place dough on floured surface and knead til silky and elastic.
• Roll into balls or ropes, and flatten with the palm of your hand.
• Fry in hot oil, (370º), til golden.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Roll/toss in cinnamon/sugar mix.

BUñUELOS RECIPE

Steps:

• Reserve 2 Tbsp. flour. Combine remaining flour with 1 Tbsp. sugar, baking powder and salt on clean work surface; make 10-inch well in center. Whisk egg, butter and 3/4 cup water until blended. Pour small amount into center of flour mixture; knead until blended. Gradually add remaining egg mixture, kneading after each addition until blended. Continue to knead dough until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 12 pieces; roll each into ball. Place in large bowl; cover with damp towel. Let stand 30 min.
• Microwave caramels and remaining water in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until caramels are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 30 sec. Repeat in separate microwaveable bowl with chocolate and COOL WHIP. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon.
• Heat oil in large deep skillet to 375ºF. Meanwhile, re-moisten kitchen towel; squeeze out excess water. Place towel on work surface, then place 1-1/2-qt. round casserole on center of towel. Bring short ends of towel together over bowl, then tie together. Turn casserole upside down. Place 1 ball of dough on lightly floured surface; roll into 4-inch round. Place dough on covered casserole; use hands to carefully stretch dough (over bowl) to 8-inch round.
• Add dough round to hot oil; cook 2 min. or until golden brown on both sides, turning and carefully pressing dough into oil with slotted spoon after 1 min. Remove buñuelo from oil; drain on paper towels. Immediately sprinkle both sides with some of the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with remaining dough rounds.
• Serve buñuelos with caramel and chocolate sauces.

BUNUELOS

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine eggs with 1/4 cup sugar and beat until thick and lemon-colored. Add the oil. Combine separately 1-1/2 cups of the flour, the baking powder and the salt. Gradually add this to the egg mixture and beat well.
• Turn dough out onto a floured board (use remaining 1/2 cup flour) and knead thoroughly until dough is smooth.
• Shape dough into sixteen balls. Roll each one into a circle about 5 inches in diameter. Let stand uncovered on waxed paper for about 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a deep fry pan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry circles until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Store airtight.

MEXICAN BUñUELOS WITH PILONCILLO SYRUP

Steps:

• Make the piloncillo syrup: In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup/240 milliliters water and the piloncillo over medium-high until the piloncillo dissolves, the liquid has thickened slightly and is caramel-colored, about 5 minutes. Carefully add 2 1/2 cups/600 milliliters water to the pan, along with the cinnamon stick, guavas (if using), anise seeds and orange peel. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until syrupy, about 30 minutes. If you'd like it thicker, cook for a bit longer. Strain the syrup into a small bowl and set it aside. (You should have about 1 1/4 cups/60 milliliters.)
• Make the buñuelos: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Form a well in the center and add the egg, melted butter and vanilla extract. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, stir the ingredients together until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly add the warm water, 1 tablespoon/15 milliliters at a time, constantly mixing then kneading, until the dough is soft and smooth. (You may not need all of the water.) Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 small balls and cover with the kitchen towel. (At this point, you can wrap the balls tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months. Bring to room temperature before rolling out and frying.)
• In a large, high-sided skillet, pour the vegetable oil until it's about 3/4-inch high and heat over medium high to 350 degrees. When the oil is ready, a small piece of dough should sizzle immediately when dropped in.
• While the oil is heating, roll out the dough: Work with one ball at a time, and leave the others covered while you work. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a paper-thin 8-inch circle. (It should be almost transparent but not tear.) As you roll, move and flip the dough and add more flour as necessary so it doesn't stick. Set aside on a lightly floured surface. Repeat with the remaining balls.
• Fry the buñuelos, one at a time, until golden brown and crispy, 20 to 40 seconds per side. Use tongs to gently flatten the dough as it cooks to help prevent it from curling. Place the fried buñuelos on a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately sprinkle the buñuelos with granulated sugar, drizzle the syrup and serve. (Store leftovers in an airtight plastic container at room temperature for up to three days. Recrisp in a 300-degree oven for 5 minutes and sprinkle with granulated sugar.)