El Día de los Reyes, or Three Kings' Day, is tomorrow, January 6! It's the continuation of Christmas and basically marks the end of the holidays for us Latinos. So are you ready? No? Well, how about celebrating with these yummy, easy buñuelos, courtesy of our friends at Target and Chef Claudia Sandoval. The only mildly complex part is the hibiscus and orange spiced sugar syrup you have to (or don't have to) make, but trust us, it's worth it! Check it out below.
More on MamásLatinas: 5 Boozy cupcakes inspired by Latin cocktails! (RECIPES)
Chef Claudia Sandoval has a history with buñuelos. "I first learned to make buñuelos when I was about 6 years old and have never stopped making them," she told Target. "This recipe was inspired by my Hibiscus Poached Pears that helped me win MasterChef!" Yes on all counts!
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for sifting
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, like the one from Market Pantry
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
3-5 cups vegetable oil (like Market Pantry) for frying
Spiced syrup, for serving (recipe below)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
To make:
In a small saucepan, heat water, sugar, 2 tbsp. butter, vanilla and cinnamon over medium-low heat until simmering; remove from heat and cool completely.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk egg and add to cooled liquid mixture. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry and mix with hands until a clay-like dough forms.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for five minutes until soft and elastic.
Shape dough into a ball and place back into a clean bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.
Spoon a dime-sized amount of butter in your palm and rub hands together to grease hands. Remove dough from bowl and create balls that are around two inches in diameter (should weigh around two oz.).
Once all the balls are rolled, dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Create a small mound of flour on one of the top corners of your work surface.
Press a dough ball into the flour mound, flattening it with your four fingers (rather than the tips of your fingers). Flip it and press it into the flour again.
Place the floured dough round at the center of your work surface and roll from the middle away from you, then back toward you.
Flip the dough over, so that the now oval-shaped ball is horizontal instead of vertical. Repeat the rolling motion and continue to roll and flip until the dough measures 10 inches round.
Cover dough rounds with clean kitchen towels and let dry for 30 minutes. Prepare your Hibiscus Orange Spiced Syrup while you wait (recipe below).
In a 12-inch frying pan, add one inch of oil and heat over medium. Place each dough round carefully into oil and fry the buñuelos one at a time, using a large slotted spatula to press the dough under the oil.
Brown until golden on each side, one to two minutes. Flip and fry on opposite side for one more minute. Remove from oil to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
To serve: Place one buñuelo on a plate and drizzle with Hibiscus and Orange Spiced Sugar Syrup. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately!
Hibiscus and Orange Spiced Sugar Syrup
Ingredients:
2 cups light brown sugar (like the one from Simply Balanced)
2 cups dried hibiscus flowers
4 cinnamon sticks, broken into smaller pieces
10 whole cloves
1 star anise
3 cups water
Zest of one orange
Juice of one orange
To make:
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes until sugar has completely dissolved, stirring occasionally.
Remove pan from heat, strain and discard solids.
Bring back to a boil and reduce by half, approximately five to ten minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Syrup can be refrigerated.
Images via Target, Chef Claudia Sandoval/Instagram
