Fried Bread Bunuelo Recipes

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.

MEXICAN BUNUELOS

Steps:

• Add all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Mix together until combined.
• Add warm water and 4 tablespoons oil. Mix together with a spoon or your hands until the dough comes together.
• Transfer the dough onto a clean working surface and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Roll the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• While the dough is resting, cover a large plate with paper towels, fill a large saute pan with 1 to 2 inches of frying oil and make the cinnamon sugar topping. Set aside.
• Divide the dough into 8 separate pieces and roll each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out each ball into an 8 to 10-inch circle. (I recommend laying the rolled out dough onto a large kitchen towel in one single layer. Don't stack the rolled out dough on top of each other or it may stick.)
• Heat the frying oil to 350°F. Fry each dough circle for about 60 seconds, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to prepared plate to drain any excess oil. Sprinkle heavily with cinnamon sugar topping.
• Combine granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.

FRIED BREAD (BUNUELO)

Steps:

• Put 1/4 of a cup of warm water and sugar in a bowl.
• Mix until the sugar dissolves and add the yeast.
• Let it soak for about 5 minutes after which you can add the rest of the water, salt, and eggs.
• Stir the mixture until it is foamy.
• Add the flour little by little, stirring by hand until you have a mixture that is more watery than dry.
• Let the dough rise to twice the size.
• When the dough looks like it is about to sink in the middle it is time to fry them.
• Heat oil in skillet, about 1/2 inch deep.
• Start getting the dough from the edges and move in towards the middle.
• Don't get the dough from various parts of the bowl, move through the dough in an orderly fashion.
• Use about 1 T dough for each bunuelo.
• Wet your fingertips with warm salt water and pick up the dough with your fingertips.
• Stretch the dough carefully to make a thin donut shape.
• Put it in the boiling oil and let it brown.
• Flip it over with a stick until it is spongy and brown.
• Take out bunuelo and put it on a strainer. and then on a paper towel.
• They are delicious hot and can be covered with honey or powdered sugar.

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.