Buñuelos
This type of buñuelo is called “buñuelo de rodilla”. It translates to “buñuelo of the knee”. So named, because women used their knee to hold the buñuelo while stretching it out to a large diameter. I wonder what year the rolling-pin was invented?
This is a low budget recipe that results in a visually striking, enchanting and festive dessert. Drizzled with anise flavored syrup (miel de piloncillo) makes them even more delicious but they can also be topped with powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar. Buñuelos were always a treat in our home, as a child and adult, because Lola (mom) only made them on special occasions. Incorporate buñuelos as part of your Christmas tradition and your kids and grandkids will have lifelong memories of a very special treat. So get out your rolling pin and let’s get started.
Buñuelo Ingredients
Makes 8 – eight inch buñuelos
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon anise
1 cup water
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Sprinkles
- ½ cup sugar-cinnamon mixture or
- ½ cup powdered sugar or
- Piloncillo syrup. See the recipe below
Dough Preparation
Place a teaspoon of anise seeds in a saucepan, add 1 cup of water, bring water to a boil, allow the tea to cool, strain out the seeds and reserve the liquor.
Combine dry ingredients. Using fingertips, cut-in the butter until the flour is crumbly. Mix-in the egg and gradually add small amounts of anise liquor and kneading until you have a smooth ball of dough. Allow the dough to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 parts. With a rolling pin and on a flat surface dusted with flour, roll out very thin 8 inch circles.
Heat one-inch of oil in a wide skillet and deep-dry each buñuelo golden brown on each side. Remove from pan holding it vertical to drain excess oil. Sprinkle sugar-cinnamon or powdered sugar if you are not using syrup to sweeten buñuelos. Otherwise, drizzle syrup at serving-time.
Miel de Piloncillo (Syrup) Ingredients
8 oz piloncillo
1 teaspoon anise seeds
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups water
Miel de Piloncillo Preparation
Add all syrup ingredients in a saucepan, and simmer at medium high heat until the piloncillo is dissolved and the syrup is reduced by one-third the original volume or less. Remove the sauce pan aside to cool then discard the cinnamon stick and transfer to a gravy boat.
Hank’s Recommendation: Serve with Miel de Piloncillo.
Notes
Piloncillo is made from pure, unrefined sugar that is pressed into a cone shape. It tastes very similar to brown sugar with a molasses flavor (even though it does not contain molasses). You can use it for anything that calls for brown sugar. It’s name means “little pylon” because of it’s shape. The smaller cones are usually around 1 ounce and the larger ones around 8 ounces and can be found in your Mexican markets or purchased from the internet.
Connect with Me