You don’t have to guess when they’re done. Loukoumades flip themselves over in the oil the moment the underside is ready — you just stand there and watch it happen. Pull them when they’re brown on both sides, pour the honey syrup over while they’re still hot, and that’s the whole thing.
Ingredients
The Dough
- 2 Tbsp yeast
- ¼ cup warm water, to soften the yeast
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 1 egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
To Fry
- Neutral oil, such as vegetable, at least 2 inches deep
The Syrup
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup water
- 1½ cups sugar
To Finish
- Ground cinnamon
- Crushed walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Soften the yeast. Stir the yeast into the ¼ cup warm water with the sugar and leave it until it wakes up.
- Make the batter. Add the milk, the egg and the flour. You want a thick, very sticky batter, not a dough you could knead.
- Rise. Cover with plastic and a damp towel and leave about an hour.
- Heat the oil. At least 2 inches deep, and very hot before the first one goes in.
- Make the syrup. While the oil heats, combine the honey, water and sugar and simmer over medium until it just comes to a low boil. Let it cool a little before it goes on.
- Fry. Drop the batter in a tablespoon at a time — it is sticky, so use a second spoon to push it off. They will flip themselves over when the underside is done. Lift them out once they are browned on both sides.
- Finish. Pour the syrup over generously while they are still hot, dust with cinnamon, and scatter over crushed walnuts if you want them.
There is also a version made with yogurt in the batter, which comes out softer inside, closer to cake.