Bunuelos

I'm having a lovely dinner with my daughter tonight consisting of frozen peas, frozen stuffed oysters, and homemade buneulos. Can you tell where my priorities lie? I often end dinners with remarks like this. As in, did you like the frozen carrots and frozen pizza...how about a slice of homemade carrot cake with homemade jam and cream cheese frosting? I have not always been this way.

There was a time when I was all about the savory. Like, mashed potatoes, popcorn, and beef jerky (gasp, I was not a vegetarian straight out of the womb). My 16th birthday with my family was at a mexican restaraunt and my mom bought me cookbooks. I got Rachel Ray's first 30 Minute Meals book, Paula Deen's "The Lady and Sons" book, and this Mexican cookbook. This recipe is straight from that book. It's still awesome 6 years later.

These look like mini-doughnuts. They're fried and contain anise and an insane amount of melted butter. They are bready and delectable.

P.S. Happy cinco de mayo.

Bunuelos

Makes 12 bunuelos. *Serve with coffee or hot chocolate and dipping sauce if desired (just melt a few tbl brown sugar, a tsp cinnamon, and a cup cream until syrupy).

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbl plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp anise extract
4 tbl salted butter, melted
oil for deep frying (canola or vegetable)
2 tsp cinnamon

Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and 2 tbl sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined. In a one cup measuring cup measure out the milk and add the egg and anise extract. Mix with a fork to combine.

With the mixer on low speed, add the milk mixture to the flour mixture until combined. Keeping the mixer on low speed add the butter and mix until a cohesive mass forms. Switch to the bread hook.

Knead with the bread hook on medium speed for five minutes. Alternatively, knead with your hands on a floured surface for 10 minutes, whichever you prefer.

Drop the dough onto a lightly floured surface, form into a ball, and cut into 12 even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and shape into a doughnut using the back of a wooden spoon or your fingers.
In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reached 375 degrees. While the oil is heating, prepare the cinnamon sugar mixture by combining the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon in a large bowl. Also, prepare a baking sheet with three layers of paper towels to drop the bunuelos onto after frying.

 

Once the oil reaches temperature, drop the bunuelos in. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side or until medium-deep golden brown. Take out and let dry on the prepared baking sheet. While still warm, cover in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Enjoy warm with dipping sauce if desired.

Recipe adapted from Classic Mexican Kitchen by Jane Milton