This recipe is courtesy of Cynthia Detterick-Pineda of Andrews, TX. Check out more of Cynthia's
Southwest Recipes.
Buñuelos are served for
numerous festive occasions and celebrations, from
Christmas and Thanksgiving, to birthdays and
baptisms. Over the years Buñuelos have become often confused
with other fried breads of the southwest, such as
Indian Fry Bread. It should be made known that
Buñuelos are not Sopapillas, and are not Fry
Bread. Each of these three breads is actually very
different. Buñuelos are more akin to a doughnut than
to a Sopapilla, and Sopapillas originated from the
Indian Fry Bread of New Mexico’s Native Population.
Restaurants and cookbooks alike, have confused these three breads. For
that reason, I want to show all three so the differences, as well as the similarities, can be
seen.
Check out
Navajo Fry Bread - Indian Tacos and
Sopapillas.
Buñuelos Recipe - Mexican-Style Doughnuts
Recipe Type:
Quick Bread,
Bread,
Dessert
Cuisine:
Southwest,
Mexican
Yields: makes many
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 8 min
Ingredients:
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees F.)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 package active dry yeast
7 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for frying.
Preparation:
In a small bowl, stir together
the warm water and the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast
over this and let it set for about 10 minutes. You
will see a froth form on the top it, and you can smell
the yeast.
In a small saucepan
over medium-low heat, heat the milk, shortening, and
salt just until the shortening melts. Remove from heat
and let the mixture cool down to
lukewarm. NOTE: If either the water or milk mix is too
hot, it will “kill” the yeast and your dough will not rise.
Place the flour into
a large mixing bowl and begin to mix in both the
yeast and the milk mixtures, stirring briskly to mix in
all the ingredients. When the dough becomes to
thick to mix with the spoon, turn out onto a lightly
floured surface and knead for a minimum of 5
minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic
when pulled and not sticky. It should spring back slightly
when you poke a finger into it.
Take a small amount of your
vegetable oil and place it into a large bowl. Roll the
dough ball in the oil, flipping it over and covering the
dough ball with a thin coating of the oil. Cover the bowl
loosely with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Let the
dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size,
approximately 1 to 2 hours.
NOTE:
This recipe can even be made the day before and
placed in the refrigerator to rise overnight. Cover
the bowl with a plate and make sure there is enough
room that the dough doesn’t rise over the edges of
the bowl.
When dough has risen,
punch down the dough, cut it
into four (4) equal sections, and allow it to rest for
another 10 minutes.
While the dough is resting heat
your oil to 375 degrees F. (a skillet or electric fryer works best).
This
is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking. I get many readers
asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking, baking,
and deep frying. I, personally, use the
Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right. Originally designed for professional users, the
Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. To learn more about this excellent
thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click on the underlined:
Thermapen Thermometer.
Divide each dough quarter into three
(3) pieces. Pat them into a 4-inch circle, stretching and
pressing until a round shape is formed.
Carefully place the dough
pieces into the hot oil and fry until they puff up and are
browned, approimately 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, flip
the Buñuelo over and cook for another 1 minute to
brown the second side. Remove from the hot oil and
drain well.
Buñuelos
can be kept warm in a 200 degree F. oven for up to 1
hour. They refrigerate well and can be reheated in a
350 degree F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
