Loukoumathes Fritters With Honey And Cinnamon Food

LOUKOUMATHES: FRITTERS WITH HONEY AND CINNAMON

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 2 cups warm water, proof for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture, whisk to incorporate. Add in the milk and eggs. When fully mixed, add in the other 2 cups of flour. Batter should be thick but not solid, if necessary, thin with more water. Whisk in vanilla. Cover and let rise for about 2 hours.
• For the syrup, in a small pot mix together the honey, sugar, and water and bring to a boil, turn down and simmer until completely dissolved and keep warm.
• Heat the oil to 360 degrees and with a large spoon, drop the batter into the hot oil. It will immediately puff and come to the surface. When golden brown on both sides, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Drizzle with warm syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve immediately.

LOUKOUMADES

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a small bowl. The water should be no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam. In a large bowl, mix the warm milk, sugar, and salt, and mix to dissolve. Pour the yeast mixture into the milk mixture, and stir to combine.
• Beat in the butter, eggs, and flour until the mixture forms a smooth, soft dough. Cover the bowl, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Stir the dough well, cover, and let rise 30 more minutes.
• Mix honey and 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and let the honey syrup cool.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Oil should be about 2 inches deep.
• Place a large table or soup spoon in a glass of water near the batter. Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of dough per puff with the wet spoon, drop it into the wet palm of your hand, and roll it back into the spoon to create a round shape. Do not overhandle the puffy, soft dough. Drop the dough balls into the hot oil in batches, wetting the spoon each time you make a dough ball. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown on the bottom, and roll them over to cook the other side, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Gently set the loukoumades aside to drain on paper towels.
• Place the loukoumades on a baking sheet, drizzle them with honey syrup, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve warm.