Best Cuban Buñuelos With Anise Syrup Recipes

Bunuelos with Anise Syrup image

Yield Makes 16

Number Of Ingredients 17

Syrup
4 cups water
4 cones piloncillo* (about 14 ounces), coarsely chopped
1 orange, quartered
1/2 large lime
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon aniseed
Buñuelos
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup orange juice
1 large egg
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons lard, melted, cooled
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups (about) all purpose flour
Vegetable oil (for frying)

Steps:

For syrup:
Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until piloncillo cones dissolve, about 5 minutes. Increase heat and boil until syrup thickens enough to coat spoon thinly, about 20 minutes. Strain syrup into bowl. (Syrup can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before using.)
For buñuelos:
Combine 3/4 cup water, 3/4 cup juice, 1 egg, 3 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons lard, 1 tablespoon rum, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl; whisk to blend well. Gradually add 5 cups flour, stirring until soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Add more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest 1 hour.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Divide each half into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into round ball. Roll out each piece to 6-inch round. Let dough rounds rest 15 minutes.
Pour enough vegetable oil into heavy large pot to reach depth of 1 inch. Attach deep-fry thermometer and heat oil to 365°F to 370°F. Fry dough rounds, 2 at a time, until golden and puffed, turning rounds occasionally with tongs, about 2 minutes. Transfer buñuelos to paper towels to drain. Arrange buñuelos on platter. Drizzle generously with warm syrup. Serve, passing remaining syrup separately.
*Mexican raw sugar shaped into hard cones. Smaller chunks are sometimes labled panocha. If neither is available, substitute an equal weight of packed dark brown sugar.

Buñuelos image

Yield makes 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 1/2 pounds yucca, peeled, cored, and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 pound malanga, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, or more boniato
1/2 pound boniato, yam, or sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, or more malanga
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
1/2 teaspoon ground aniseed
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup flour, plus more as needed
Corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil for deep-frying

Steps:

Put the yucca, malanga, and boniato into a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the sugar, cinnamon, and star anise into a medium saucepan and stir in 3 cups water until the sugar dissolves. Set over medium low heat and simmer until syrupy and golden, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.
Transfer the yucca, malanga, and boniato and 1/2 cup of their cooking liquid to a large mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth. When the mixture has cooled, stir in the aniseed, salt, and eggs. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, adding more as necessary, until a moldable dough is formed.
Divide the dough in half, then roll each piece into a long snake, 1 inch in diameter. Cut each snake into 7-inch lengths and form each piece into a figure eight, pinching the ends and center shut.
Put about 3 inches of oil in a deep saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (a pinch of the dough sizzles, but not violently). Gently drop the figure eights into the oil and fry, turning once, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Work in batches, taking care not to crowd the fritters. Drain on paper towels, drizzle with the syrup, and serve immediately.
Omit the spicy sugar syrup; sprinkle confectioners' sugar or a mixture of 3 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon over the buñuelos.