How to Make Mexican Buñuelos/Como hacer Buñuelos Mexicanos

With Christmas around the corner, the streets next to the markets in México start setting up makeshift wooden stands to sell all kinds of Holiday crafts for home decorations, Christmas Trees and The Nativity setting. A large area is dedicated to sell candies, small oranges or apples and diverse types of treats to fill the piñata. There are also food vendors that provide the regular hot atole and tamales to warm you up while you go on your day of festive shopping. But there is always at least one stand selling the Traditional Buñuelos.These light, crispy and sweet round disc are sprinkled with sugar or bathed in piloncillo syrup.
These Buñuelos are different from the recipe that originally was brought to México by the Spaniards. In the Southern States of México, like in Tabasco,cooks still make a very similar version of the Spanish Buñuelos, and you can see the recipe in my friend Flavio’s Blog
This is the basic and simple way to make a treat that I am sure many Mexicans living abroad remember their grandmothers, aunts or mothers prepare this time of the year. If you have never made them, do not be afraid, the dough is so easy to manage, and you can prepare it a day in advance and refrigerate it. I have even frozen it for a couple of days. Then bring back to room temperature before forming the Buñuelos.

Ingredients for 12 Buñuelos
2 cups of All Purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon of salt
1 egg
1 Tablespoon of butter (melted and already cool)
About 3/4 cup of warm water * (See note)
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence ** (See note)
About 2 cups of vegetable oil to fry the Buñuelos
Sugar to sprinkle
*NOTE: Anise tea is very often used instead of plain water and vanilla lending a sweet aroma to the Buñuelos. To make anise tea, place 1 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, add the anise seeds and set aside to cool. Strain and use the amount needed to make dough.
**NOTE You can also use orange liqueur or essence instead of vanilla.

Piloncillo Syrup for buñuelos:

3 1/2 cups of water

1 large piloncillo stick (about 12 oz.)

1 stick of cinnamon

6 guayabas (guavas)

1/3 aniseed

1/4 of an orange peel

Place the 1 cup of water and the piloncillo in a medium size saucepan. Heat over medium high heat until the piloncillo disolves 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 topping for the buñuelos. 

The syrup keeps well refrigerated for up to 1 week. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, 1 Tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Divide the dough in 12 small balls and cover. Heat 3/4 inch of oil the large frying pan.

5. 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.


6. To give that extra stretching to the Buñuelo, place in the inverted bowl or clay pot covered with the pastry towel and pull the edges very gentle. The Buñuelo should be thin almost transparent.

7. Fry the Buñuelos in very hot oil until they are golden and crispy. This step will take a few seconds. Place the Buñuelos on 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 you oven in a low setting for 5 minutes.   Now, we need some hot chocolate to go alone with the Buñuelos.     
I hope you make them, if you do please come back to let me know your experience.

Sharing this recipe with "Simple Lives Thursday" and "Full Plate Thursday"

Provecho y Felices Fiestas!
Mely

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