Loukoumades

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Dissolve 5 g instant yeast and 10 g sugar in 240 g warm water, then add 250 g all-purpose flour, a pinch of salt and 20 g vegetable oil and whisk vigorously for about two minutes. Vigorous whisking develops a little gluten that traps air during frying, which gives the puffs their hollow, airy centers. The batter is ready when it's smooth, stretchy and sticky, and pulls into strands when you lift the whisk.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it somewhere warm for about an hour. The yeast needs time to produce gas, and the airier the batter, the lighter the puffs. It's ready when it has doubled, the surface is full of bubbles and stirring it gently reveals stretchy, web-like strands.

   Suggested time: about 60 minutes.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   While the batter rises, put 150 g honey, 100 g sugar, 100 g water and 3 g cinnamon sticks in a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for about five minutes, then turn off the heat and add 10 g lemon juice. The lemon juice keeps the syrup from crystallizing and balances the sweetness of the honey. The syrup is ready when it's slightly thickened, runs off a spoon in a thin stream and smells of cinnamon.

   Medium heat.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   Pour oil for deep-frying (to taste) into a deep pan and heat it over medium heat to about 175°C. Oil that's hot enough sets the shell crisp right away without soaking in, but oil that's too hot burns the outside while the inside stays raw. The oil is ready when a drop of batter rises to the surface immediately with even bubbles all around it.

   Medium heat.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Dip a spoon in a cup of oil, scoop up some batter and use your finger or a second spoon to push grape-sized balls into the pan, or squeeze the batter up between your thumb and index finger the way Greek cooks do. An oiled spoon lets the batter slide off easily into round balls. You've got it right when the balls are all the same size and don't stick together in the pan.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Fry in small batches over medium heat for about three to four minutes, turning constantly with a slotted spoon so they brown evenly on all sides. Frying a few at a time keeps the oil temperature from dropping, so the puffs don't get greasy. They're done when they're golden brown, bobbing on the surface and sound crisp when tapped; lift them out to drain on paper towels.

   Medium heat.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Drop the hot puffs into the warm syrup, toss gently for about ten seconds, then lift them onto a plate. Hot puffs meeting warm syrup absorb the sweetness inside while their shells stay crisp. They're ready when they're glossy with a coat of honey syrup and no dry spots remain.

   Mark step 7 as done

8. Step 8

   Sprinkle 50 g chopped toasted walnuts and a pinch of ground cinnamon over the plate, drizzle with a little of the remaining syrup and serve right away while warm. Loukoumades are best straight from the fryer, while the shells are still crisp and the centers warm. They're ready to serve when the walnuts cling evenly to the golden, honey-glazed puffs.

   Mark step 8 as done