Loukoumathes / Greek Honey Puffs

These Loukoumathes are also called Greek Honey Puffs.

These sweet syrupy fried donuts remind me of Fritolli. Not only that, but these are also called Loukoumades as I discovered when doing some research. They are a bit fiddly to prepare and fry, but they are worth it. Just assemble everything beforehand and make sure that there are no distractions when frying. They are best eaten still warm but are ok even the next day, hot or cold. Enjoy!

Makes about 40

Ingredients

1 teaspoon dried yeast
1 ½ cups plain flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1-1 ¼ cups warm water
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Cinnamon sticks for decoration

Syrup

¾ cup honey
2 tablespoons water
2 strips orange rind
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

Combine the dried yeast, flour and sugar in a large bowl; stir in enough water to make a smooth, thick batter. Cover; stand batter in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until the batter has almost doubled in size.
Syrup
Combine all ingredients in a small pan; stir over heat until almost boiling. Cover; keep warm.
Deep fry rounded teaspoons of batter in hot oil, in batches, until browned all over and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
Drizzle hot syrup over the hot Loukoumathes. Serve warm or cold; decorate with cinnamon sticks.

Hints

When spooning the mixture into hot oil, use two teaspoons, dipped in a glass of hot water between each one to prevent batter from sticking to the spoons.