Thin Cinnamon-Sugar Fritters Mexican Recipe

Thin Cinnamon-Sugar Fritters Mexican Recipe

Ingredients

Recipe for: Bunuelos

Makes 18 to 24

• 4 tomatillo husks
• 1 cup water
• ½ teaspoon tequesquite
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup lard or unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus a little extra
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 cup sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon freshly ground canela, for rolling, or about 1 cup piloncillo syrup, for serving
• oil, for frying (about 4 cups)

Method

1. Combine the tomatillo husks, water, and tequesquite in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil
2. Remove from the heat, let cool, and strain
3. Reserve the liquid and discard the rest
4. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixer with the hook attachment
5. Add the orange juice, egg, sugar, tomatillo husk infusion, lard, and milk
6. Beat until the dough is very smooth and elastic, 15 to 20 minutes
7. Rub some of the lard all over the top of the dough and cover lightly with a cloth
8. Allow to rest, at room temperature, for at least 30 minutes
9. Cover a table with a clean sheet or tablecloth
10. Grease your hands with a little lard and divide the dough into 18 golf ball-size pieces
11. Roll each into a smooth ball, pressing so they’re compact
12. Cover them lightly with a cloth
13. Roll each ball into a circle about 5 inches in diameter, turning as you roll, so that it is even
14. Beginning with the ones that were rolled out first, stretch each circle, pulling very gently from the center and around the edges, to form a circle 8 to 9 inches in diameter
15. You should be able to see through the dough
16. Allow the bunuelos to rest over the tablecloth until they feel dry to the touch and look a bit leathery, 20 to 25 minutes
17. Turn them over and let dry completely on the other side, 15 to 20 minutes
18. Spread the sugar-canela mixture on a plate and place a wire rack over a baking sheet for draining
19. A wire rack with only one row of metal spacers instead of a crisscross pattern works best, as you can drain the bunuelos vertically
20. Pour the oil into a deep-sided pan to a depth of at least 3 inches
21. Heat the oil to 375°F over medium heat, slide a bunuelo very carefully into the oil, and press down with a fork
22. The bunuelo should immediately begin to bubble around the edges and blister all over
23. Fry until golden on one side, then flip over and fry until golden on the other side, 1 to 2 minutes total
24. Remove the bunuelo from the oil, let the excess oil drip back into the pot for a few seconds, then place on the wire rack to drain
25. Fry the remaining bunuelos in the same manner
26. Toss the bunuelos in the sugar-canela mixture while still warm or serve with piloncillo syrup

VariationS: BUNUELOS POBRES AND BUNUELOS AHOGADOS Bunuelos pobres are lightly coated with anise-flavored syrup, and bunuelos ahogados are submerged in warm piloncillo syrup and topped with colored sugar or sprinkles

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