Allison Osorio's Buñuelos in Piloncillo Syrup

Name: Buñuelos with Piloncillo Syrup
Yield: 10-12
Ingredients: 2 cups AP flour; ½ cup Heirloom Yellow Corn Masa Harina; 1 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp salt; 2 tsp shortening; ½-¾ cups warm water; 1 egg; 1 quart of vegetable oil (for frying); 1 quart water; 2 cones piloncillo, chopped or grated; 8 whole cloves; 3 star anise pods; 1 stick Mexican cinnamon; Rind of ¼ of an orange; Pinch of salt

December 15, 2023

A classic Mexican holiday treat, buñuelos are fritters made of dough stretched impossibly thin and fried until tooth-shatteringly crisp. December Chef en Residencia Allison Osorio's version adds a little masa into the flour-based dough. After searing the discs on the comal and quickly frying, she caramelizes them in a reduced syrup made of piloncillo (Mexican cane sugar) that's flavored with warm, festive spices inspired by the version her grandma used to make in Mexico.

Buñuelos with Piloncillo Syrup

Allison Osorio

Rated 4.0 stars by 20 users

Author

Allison Osorio

Servings

10-12 Buñuelos

Ingredients

For Dough:

2 cups AP flour
½ cup Heirloom Yellow Corn Masa Harina
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp shortening
½-¾ cups warm water
1 egg
1 quart of vegetable oil (for frying)

For Piloncillo Syrup

1 quart water
2 cones piloncillo, chopped or grated
8 whole cloves
3 star anise pods
1 stick Mexican cinnamon
Rind of ¼ of an orange
Pinch of salt

Directions

Make Dough:

In a medium bowl, mix flour, masa, baking powder, salt, and shortening by hand or in a stand mixer with a dough attachment until crumbly.
Add egg and continue mixing.
Add water, a little at a time and mix until it comes together in one piece. If the dough feels a little dry, you can add a few more tablespoons of water.
Knead dough for 4-5 minutes until fairly smooth. Roll dough into one large ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes, during which time you can make the syrup.
Portion dough into small balls, about 30-40g each. Cover all the dough into pieces again with plastic and let rest on the counter for 20 minutes.
Using a rolling pin, on a well floured surface, roll dough pieces into large, thin discs, like making tortillas, about 5-6” wide.
On a comal over medium heat, quickly cook each tortilla for about 10 seconds on each side to sear.
In a medium sauté pan, add 2” of frying oil and heat to 350F. Fry the buñuelos until golden brown on each side. Place buñuelos on paper towels to dry.

Make Piloncillo Syrup:

In a small pot add all of the ingredients and cook until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, and reduce by half. Let rest until you finish frying all the buñuelos.
In a medium saute pan, add half of the piloncillo syrup and bring to a simmer. Carefully place one buñuelo at a time into the syrup and quickly coat both sides. Once the buñuelos come out of the syrup, they can be placed on a fresh plate and enjoyed once cooled.