Buñuelos de Viento [Video+Recipe] Puffy Fried Balls in Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar ([200 g])
• 1 cinnamon stick
• A small piece of lime peel ((about 1/2 inch))
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
• 1/4 cup sugar ( (white, granulated) [50 g])
• 2 egg ((medium))
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/4 teaspoon lime zest
• 1/2 cup milk ( (whole or skim))
• 2 ounces salted butter ((salted) [55 g or 1/4 US stick])
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar ((white, granulated))
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour ([80 g], sifted)
• 3 cups oil for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   --- 1. Make syrup or cinnamon sugar ---

2. 2

   Making syrup: ⚠️ If you serve it with syrup: Mix sugar, cinnamon, lime zest, and 1 cup of water. Boil over low heat until a third of it has evaporated. Remove from the heat and remove the cinnamon stick and lime peel. Set aside.⚠️ If you serve it with cinnamon sugar: Mix sugar and cinnamon until combined. Set aside

3. 3

   --- 2. Whisk eggs ---

4. 4

   Whisking eggs: Whisk eggs. Sift to remove undissolved parts. Set aside.

5. 5

   --- 3. Make the dough ---

6. 6

   Making dough: Mix milk, cinnamon, salt, sugar, and lime zest in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat. Add butter. When it breaks a boil, add the flour all at once. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until you obtain a smooth dough that doesn't stick to the saucepan. Remove the dough from the heat and let it cool down (about 10 minutes, see notes).

7. 7

   --- 4. Add eggs ---

8. 8

   Adding eggs: Pour ⅓ of the whisked egg into the dough. Mix stirring and folding until the egg is thoroughly combined with the batter. Add the remaining egg in 2 separate parts, making sure the previous portion is well incorporated before adding more egg. Let it rest for 20 minutes.

9. 9

   --- 5. Fry ---

10. 10

    Frying: Heat the oil over medium-high heat (300 ºF [150 ºC]). Once the oil is hot, use two serving teaspoons, scooping the dough from one teaspoon to the other, form a round(ish) ball, and drop it carefully into the oil. Be mindful that they will double in size, so I found that a ball of dough the size of a large olive turns into a buñuelo about the size of a small lime.Fry them three at a time to prevent the oil from cooling down too much. Cook the balls rotating once they float until they brown all over. Place on a paper towel and let them cool down.

11. 11

    --- 6. Serve ---

12. 12

    Serving: Serve immediately bathed in the syrup, or dusted with cinnamon sugar.See some suggestions above the recipe.