Loukoumades

A crust that cracks under the teeth to release a burning honey syrup. The crumb is light and airy like a sponge, with the scent of cinnamon immediately filling the room.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 30 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1062
• Protein: 12 g
• Carbs: 159 g
• Fat: 40 g

Ingredients

• 500 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 50 g Corn starch ( dry )
• 450 ml Mineral water ( lukewarm )
• 20 g Fresh baker's yeast ( crumbled )
• 50 g White sugar ( granulated )
• 200 g Honey ( liquid )
• 0.5 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( juiced )
• 1 tsp Cinnamon powder ( for garnish )
• 750 ml Sunflower oil ( for frying )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt ( fine )

Instructions

1. Yeast activation

   In a bowl, dissolve the fresh yeast in 50ml of lukewarm water (not hot, or you'll kill the yeast) with a pinch of sugar. Wait for it to foam on the surface.

2. Dough preparation

   Mix the wheat flour, corn starch, and a pinch of salt. Pour in the remaining water and the activated yeast. Beat vigorously by hand or mixer: the dough should be sticky, elastic, and form ribbons when lifted.

3. Dough proofing

   Cover the bowl with a clean cloth. Let it rise in a warm place until the dough doubles in size and bubbles appear on the surface.

4. Honey syrup

   In a saucepan, bring the honey, sugar, 100ml of water, and lemon juice to a boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes until the syrup lightly coats a spoon. Let cool completely.

5. Frying the puffs

   Heat the sunflower oil to 180°C. Scoop small balls of dough with a wet spoon and drop them into the oil. They should rise and brown evenly while rotating.

6. Coating and finishing

   Remove the puffs with a slotted spoon, immediately dip them into the cold syrup for 30 seconds. They should soak it up without getting soggy. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder before serving.

Chef's tips

• The secret of thermal shock: the syrup must be cold and the puffs burning hot to stay crispy.
• Dip your spoon in cold water between each puff so the dough slides cleanly into the oil.

Storage

Eat immediately. The syrup softens the dough within a few hours.