Loukoumades
Ingredients
- 240 ml lukewarm water
- 240 ml lukewarm milk
- 15 g active dry yeast
- 400 g flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- oil, for frying
- Syrup: honey, sugar, water
- cinnamon and chopped walnuts, to finish
Said to be one of the oldest recorded desserts in the world, dating back to ancient Greece where they were served to Olympic victors, loukoumades are small, fluffy fritters made from a simple, wet yeasted batter, deep-fried until golden and crisp, then drenched in warm honey syrup and finished with cinnamon and chopped walnuts or sesame seeds.
Method
Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water with the sugar; let it sit for about 5 minutes until foamy.
Whisk in the milk, flour, salt and olive oil until a smooth, thick, pourable batter forms.
Cover and let rise in a warm place for at least an hour, until bubbly and doubled.
Heat oil to medium-hot frying temperature.
Scoop or pipe small balls of batter into the hot oil (wetting your hands or spoon helps) and fry until deep golden and cooked through, 3-4 minutes.
Drain briefly, then dip or drizzle generously with warm honey syrup.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped walnuts before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek pine or thyme honey
- 1 cup water, for the syrup
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast
- 3 cups warm water
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 pinches salt
- 2 large eggs, well beaten
- About 4½ cups flour, or as needed
- Oil for frying (canola, corn or seed oil)
- Ground cinnamon and/or sesame seeds, to finish
On Ikaria, where Diane Kochilas spends much of the year, loukoumades are drizzled with the island's pine honey and eaten hot. Her version is a proper yeast batter rather than a quick dough: yeast is proofed in warm water, then mixed with more water, milk, eggs and enough flour to make a thick, sticky batter that rises for an hour. The key, she warns, is timing — too short a rise and the puffs are dense, too long and they taste over-fermented. Spoonfuls are fried until golden, dipped in a honey-sugar syrup and finished with cinnamon or sesame.
Method
For the syrup, combine the honey, water and sugar in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until slightly thick. Set aside.
Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup of the warm water in a large bowl and leave until it bubbles.
Add the remaining warm water, the milk, salt and beaten eggs, then stir in the flour gradually with a wooden spoon until you have a thick, sticky batter.
Cover and leave in a warm, draught-free place for about 1 hour, until risen and airy. Stir the batter down.
Heat about 8 cm (3 inches) of oil in a deep pot. Using two tablespoons, drop rounds of batter into the oil a few at a time and fry, turning, until golden all over.
Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Dip the hot loukoumades in the syrup with a slotted spoon, pile onto a platter, sprinkle with cinnamon or sesame seeds and serve immediately.
