Method
Light, mouth-watering wafers of deep-fried dough sprinkled with caster sugar, buñuelos are found in cantinas throughout Mexico, usually served with tropical fruit or very sweet fruit purées.
I love them with this fresh raspberry sauce, but they are equally good with cherry, blackberry, strawberry or redcurrant sauce, depending on your fancy and the time of year.
How to make buñuelos
Put the twice-sifted flour into a large bowl and add the sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, egg and crushed anise until frothy. Make a well in the centre of the flour and gradually whisk in the milk mixture, using your hands to bring it all together into a dough. On a floured surface, knead the dough for 5–10 minutes.
Shape into approximately 18 balls (25g each). Cover with a cloth and rest for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the purée by whizzing the raspberries and sugar in a blender or food processor, then push the mixture through a sieve. If you like, you can sharpen the purée with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of cassis. Roll each dough ball on a lightly floured surface into very thin rounds 10–15cm in diameter. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
In a large, deep frying pan, heat the sunflower oil until it is hot enough to make a cube of bread sizzle when you add it. Fry the dough circles like pancakes, one at a time, until puffed and golden brown on both sides, turning them only once or they will become soggy. Drain well on kitchen paper and sprinkle with sugar whilst they are still warm.
Put 1 or 2 on each plate, not minding at all if they break as it looks all the more rustic. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a scattering of berries and a generous spoonful of raspberry purée. Eat up greedily!
Wahaca Mexican Food at Home
Recipe taken from Wahaca – Mexican Food at Home by Thomasina Miers, published by Hodder & Stoughton, £20.
Text © Thomasina Miers, 2012
Photos © Malou Burger, 2012
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