Old Style Oliebollen Food

OLIEBOLLEN - TRADITIONAL DUTCH DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the milk, leave for a few minutes to get frothy.
• Mix the flour, salt and sugar.
• Add the eggs and the yeast-milk mixture to the flour.
• Use a wooden spoon, whisk (needs to be a sturdy one) or dough-hooks and a mixer to mix everything together.
• Keep mixing for about 10 minutes to develop the gluten.
• Mix the raisins and apple through.
• Cover the bowl and leave to rise for about 1 hour.
• Heat the fat in a deep fat fryer or suitable pan to 170C.
• Form spheres from the risen batter with 2 spoons, or an ice cream scoop, dipped in the hot fat and let them slide into the hot fat.
• Bake them until brown, in 4-6 minutes. When the temperature of the fat is correct, the oliebollen will turn their selves over when the first side has browned enough.
• Take the oliebollen from the fat with a slotted spoon, place them in a colander to get rid of most of the fat, then place them in another colander layered with kitchen paper towels. Use more kitchen paper towels between the layers. The towels will absorb the remaining fat.
• Use the same method to bake the rest of the dough.
• Eat hot, cold or reheated in the microwave and dusted with sugar.

OLD-FASHIONED DUTCH DOUGHNUTS (OLIEBOLLEN)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon granulated sugar into the water. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow to stand for 10 minutes (if the yeast doesn't bubble, discard and buy new yeast. The lack of bubbles means the yeast is no longer active).
• Mix together the flour and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl, and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and the yeast mixture to the well.
• Warm up the milk in the microwave just until it is lukewarm. Add half of the milk to the well in the flour, and mix until all the ingredients are combined. Add the rest of the milk, and mix until smooth.
• Cover the bowl with a damp dishtowel and allow to rise in a warm area for about 1 hour. Once the dough has doubled, stir in the salt and let sit while you heat the oil.
• Heat the oil to 350 F in a large, deep pan or in a deep fryer . To check whether the oil is at the right temperature, stand the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil. If little bubbles form around it, the oil is ready.
• Quickly dip 2 tablespoons into the oil and form small balls of the dough with the oiled tablespoons, carefully scraping and dropping the dough into the hot oil. The oliebollen will sink to the bottom of the pan and then pop right back up. You should be able to fry at least 6 at a time, but don't crowd the pan.
• Fry until golden brown on both sides, carefully flipping when required. Drain on a tray lined with paper towels.
• Sieve confectioners' sugar over the oliebollen as well as a dusting of ground cinnamon and serve warm.

OLIEBOLLEN (DUTCH DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• Break up the compressed yeast, and stir into the warm milk. Let stand for a few minutes to dissolve. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir the yeast mixture and egg into the flour and mix into a smooth batter. Stir in the currants, raisins and apple. Cover the bowl, and leave the batter in a warm place to rise until double in size. This will take about 1 hour.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer, or heavy deep pan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Use 2 metal spoons to shape scoops of dough into balls, and drop them carefully into the hot oil.
• Fry the balls until golden brown, about 8 minutes. The doughnuts should be soft and not greasy. If the oil is not hot enough, the outside will be tough and the insides greasy. Drain finished doughnuts on paper towels and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve them piled on a dish with more confectioners' sugar dusted over them. Eat them hot if possible.

OLIEBOLLEN

Steps:

• Microwave 1 cup of the milk in a small microwave-safe bowl until warm (between 110 to 115 degrees F), about 1 minute, then stir to even out the temperature. Add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar, stirring just enough to hydrate the yeast. Let bloom for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Sift the flour, salt and remaining granulated sugar into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the yeast mixture, eggs and remaining 1 cup milk. Stir the batter to combine and continue to mix until the consistency of a sticky pancake batter, about 3 minutes. Add the currants and orange peel and stir until fully combined, about 1 minute more. Cover the bowl with a slightly damp kitchen towel and put a plate on top to seal in the humidity. Leave it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• When the batter has risen, stir it a couple of times to deflate it a little before frying.
• Meanwhile, heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep Dutch oven to 360 degrees F; line a baking sheet with a rack.
• Gently drop 8 to 9 heaping tablespoons of batter (see Cook's Note) into the oil and cook, flipping halfway through, until a deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes; the oliebollen will be rounded with some wild edges. Place them on the cooling rack for a few minutes, then transfer them to a large bowl with about 2 tablespoons of the confectioners' sugar and toss to coat in the sugar. Return them back to the cooling rack to finish cooling; the steam from the oliebollen will help create a nice glaze with the sugar. Repeat with the remaining batter and confectioners' sugar, making sure to bring the oil back to 360 degrees F before frying each batch. Serve warm or let cool completely before storing in a paper bag to serve later.

OLIEBOLLEN

Steps:

• Put flour in a bowl with the salt and make a well.
• Add the yeast, which has been dissolved in a little warm milk.
• Add remaining milk, currants and the apples if using.
• Beat to smooth and airy, cover and let stand in a warm spot for 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a deep pan until very hot and fry the oliebollen quickly-you want them golden and cooked through. Turn half-way through the cooking process.
• Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

OLIEBOLLEN - THE NO-YEAST VERSION.

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar.
• Add the remaining ingredients in batches, mixing well and adding the fruit last.
• The amounts are only guides- you are aiming for a thickish batter.
• Heat up the sunflower oil for deep frying and drop scant tablespoons worth of dough.
• Deep fry for about 5-7 minutes- they are self turning.
• If you are too generous with the amount the doughnuts sink to the bottom of the pot and stick.
• Not a good idea!
• Too small and they overcook.
• The aim is to have a golden doughnut that is cooked right through.