Loukoumades are a labour of love, but I promise, these little nuggets of goodness won’t disappoint! There’s a small cafe near our home in Mandoudi called “Alexiou” and we get there almost every afternoon in the summer. It’s not uncommon for our family to order two or three orders to share amongst ourselves and they last less than 5 minutes. They are the perfect combination of crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Think of a honey cruller, but better!
Loukoumades
Ingredients
For the Loukoumades
- 3½ cup flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4½ tsp active dry yeast
- 2 cup water (lukewarm)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk (lukewarm)
- 1 qt vegetable oil for frying
For the Syrup
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cup water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Loukoumades
- Combine all the ingredients in an extra-large bowl.
- Using a whisk, whisk the ingredients together until there are no lumps in the dough and the batter has an elastic-like consistency.
- Once the batter is mixed, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm place for 60-75 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.In the meantime, make the syrup.
- Once the batter has doubled, put the oil in a large pot and heat until it reaches approximately 350 F (170 C).
- Take a small bowl and fill it with water for the spoon.
- Using clean hands (or gloved hands), grab a small handful of batter in one hand and take the tablespoon in the other. Dip the tablespoon in the bowl of water, squeeze the a small amount of batter out of the other fist, and using the spoon, ‘cut’ off the ball of batter and quickly place it in the oil.
- This technique keeps the size and shape of the loukoumades consistent.
- Once they are golden brown all around, place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towel (to absorb the oil).
- Once the batter runs out, you can dip them in batches in the syrup or you can drizzle the syrup on top.
- Feel free to enjoy them just like this, or you can add honey and cinnamon, Nutella, chocolate or caramel sauce, ice cream, or fruit. The options are endless, really!
For the Syrup
- Put all the ingredients except the cinnamon stick and vanilla in a medium sauce pan.
- Bring to a boil and let boil for 7 minutes.
- Add the cinnamon stick and vanilla and set aside to cool.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @yiamaswithyiayia on Instagram and hashtag it #yiamaswithyiayia.