Bunuelos With Vanilla Ice Cream And Cactus Berries Recipes

BUNUELOS WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM AND CACTUS BERRIES

Steps:

• Cut away skin of cactus berries. Slice half the cactus berries into 1/2-inch pieces (if using raspberries, leave whole); puree remaining berries; toss puree with reserved berries. Cover and set aside.
• Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add 1/4 cup oil and just enough hot water to bring dough together, kneading until smooth and silky. Cover with plastic wrap.
• Slowly heat frying oil in heavy saucepan or Dutch oven to 365 degrees. Thoroughly combine sugar and cinnamon.
• Meanwhile, divide dough into 12 2-inch balls. Roll out each on a lightly floured work surface into a 7-inch round. Keep dough you're not working with covered.
• Carefully drop rolled dough one piece at a time into oil. Dough should sink to bottom of the pan, then float to surface. Using tongs, gently press down on center of dough, about 20 seconds, to create concave shape; fry until crisp and lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Lift bunuelo from oil with tongs, allowing oil to drip back into saucepan.
• Transfer bunuelos to a baking sheet lined with several paper towels. Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar.
• To serve, scoop ice cream on bunuelos. Top with cajeta sauce and cactus berries.

CINNAMON-SUGAR CRISPS ("BUNUELOS")

Steps:

• On a plate, mix the sugar and cinnamon. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep frying thermometer, inserted in the oil, reaches 350 degrees F. (If you do not have a thermometer, test the oil with a piece of tortilla, which should sizzle when it touches the oil and should brown in about 2 to 3 minutes.) One by one, fry tortillas until golden brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer the crisps to paper towels to drain. While still warm, transfer to cinnamon-sugar mixture, turn to coat and serve.

BUNUELOS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the water, brown sugar, and anise seeds. Over medium heat, stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Regulate the heat so that the mixture is simmering, then cook for about 20 minutes, until it has reduced to about 1 1/4 cups. Set the syrup aside to cool.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, salt, anise seeds, and lard and bring to a boil. When the lard has melted and the liquid is boiling, remove from the heat and stir in the flour all at once. Return to the heat and continue stirring for a minute or 2 until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Again remove from the heat and add the eggs, beating well after each addition. The dough should be very soft and only just hold its shape. Lastly, mix the baking powder into the dough. In a large heavy skillet, heat about 1/2 inch of oil until it is smoking. Flour your hands well and break off a piece of dough. Roll it into a ball about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Place the ball on your fingers and flatten to a cake about 3/4-inch thick. With your finger, push a large hole into the center of the dough. Make 3 more bunuelos and cook them for 2 to 3 minutes, turning over when one side is golden. While the first batch of bunuelos is frying, make 4 more and repeat until they are all cooked. You should have about 12 small bunuelos. Drain on paper towels until you have finished cooking them, then place 2 bunuelos in each of 6 warm bowls and drizzle the syrup over them.

BUNUELOS

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine eggs with 1/4 cup sugar and beat until thick and lemon-colored. Add the oil. Combine separately 1-1/2 cups of the flour, the baking powder and the salt. Gradually add this to the egg mixture and beat well.
• Turn dough out onto a floured board (use remaining 1/2 cup flour) and knead thoroughly until dough is smooth.
• Shape dough into sixteen balls. Roll each one into a circle about 5 inches in diameter. Let stand uncovered on waxed paper for about 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a deep fry pan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry circles until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Store airtight.

CAJETA DESSERT SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine sugar, salt, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Cover saucepan and cook, checking occasionally until sugar melts and turns amber, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overcook or sugar will burn.
• Remove from heat and slowly whisk in goat's milk. Let cool completely. Drizzle cajeta sauce over ice cream and serve, or store covered in refrigerator up to 1 week.

BALSAMIC BERRIES OVER VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine berries, vinegar and 1 tablespoon sugar in small bowl.
• Combine remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, pine nuts and cloves in heavy small skillet. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar melts and pine nuts are golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plate if not using immediately.
• Scoop vanilla ice cream into bowls. Top with strawberries, then with nuts.

MEXICAN BUñUELOS WITH PILONCILLO SYRUP

Steps:

• Make the piloncillo syrup: In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup/240 milliliters water and the piloncillo over medium-high until the piloncillo dissolves, the liquid has thickened slightly and is caramel-colored, about 5 minutes. Carefully add 2 1/2 cups/600 milliliters water to the pan, along with the cinnamon stick, guavas (if using), anise seeds and orange peel. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until syrupy, about 30 minutes. If you'd like it thicker, cook for a bit longer. Strain the syrup into a small bowl and set it aside. (You should have about 1 1/4 cups/60 milliliters.)
• Make the buñuelos: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Form a well in the center and add the egg, melted butter and vanilla extract. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, stir the ingredients together until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly add the warm water, 1 tablespoon/15 milliliters at a time, constantly mixing then kneading, until the dough is soft and smooth. (You may not need all of the water.) Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 small balls and cover with the kitchen towel. (At this point, you can wrap the balls tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months. Bring to room temperature before rolling out and frying.)
• In a large, high-sided skillet, pour the vegetable oil until it's about 3/4-inch high and heat over medium high to 350 degrees. When the oil is ready, a small piece of dough should sizzle immediately when dropped in.
• While the oil is heating, roll out the dough: Work with one ball at a time, and leave the others covered while you work. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a paper-thin 8-inch circle. (It should be almost transparent but not tear.) As you roll, move and flip the dough and add more flour as necessary so it doesn't stick. Set aside on a lightly floured surface. Repeat with the remaining balls.
• Fry the buñuelos, one at a time, until golden brown and crispy, 20 to 40 seconds per side. Use tongs to gently flatten the dough as it cooks to help prevent it from curling. Place the fried buñuelos on a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately sprinkle the buñuelos with granulated sugar, drizzle the syrup and serve. (Store leftovers in an airtight plastic container at room temperature for up to three days. Recrisp in a 300-degree oven for 5 minutes and sprinkle with granulated sugar.)