Loukoumades (greek Honey Dumplings)

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 2 packages dry yeast
• 4 cups flour (or enough until a thick, pancake-like batter consistency is reached)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• oil (for frying)
• 1 cup honey (greek thyme honey is best, and authentic)
• 1/4 cup water
• cinnamon
• finely chopped walnuts (optional)
• sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

Recipe

• 1 dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water.
• 2 put it along with the remaining dough ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well until a smooth batter is obtained.
• 3 cover and let the batter rise in a warm place until it is approximately three times its previous bulk, (1-2 hours).
• 4 heat the oil for frying in a saucepan on the stove until very hot.
• 5 dip a teaspoon into oil to coat and spoon out some dough into the hot oil.
• 6 repeat until there are enough fritters to comfortably fill the surface area of the saucepan, without overcrowding.
• 7 dip the spoon in oil, every time the dough starts to stick on it.
• 8 fry loukoumades in very hot oil until golden brown, pushing them into the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving dish lined with kitchen paper for them to drain.
• 9 keep making more fritters in this way.
• 10 when done, put them on a large platter and pour hot honey syrup over them and lightly dust with cinnamon.
• 11 sprinkle them with chopped walnuts and sesame seeds.
• 12 serve immediately.
• 13 to make honey syrup.
• 14 heat honey and water in a small saucepan and skim off any froth that may form on top.
• 15 boil for 5 minutes together and pour over fritters.