112Loukoumades

Method

Traditional honey and cinnamon fried dough puffs. Serve piping hot right out of the frying oil.

You will need

• deep heavy saucepan or pot
• deep-fry or sugar thermometer
• slotted spoon or spider strainer
• whisk or wooden spoon
• mixing bowl

1. In a large bowl, whisk the lukewarm water with the yeast and sugar, letting it sit for 5 minutes until slight bubbles appear on the surface. 5 min Ready when: yeast dissolved with small surface foam
2. Add the flour, cornflour, and fine salt into the liquid, beating briskly with a wooden spoon or hand whisk until a smooth, thick, elastic batter forms. 5 min Ready when: stretchy, glossy, lump-free batter
3. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm, draught-free spot for 45 to 60 minutes until doubled in volume and full of airy bubbles. 50 min Ready when: sponge-like, aerated surface with visible bubbles
4. Pour the frying oil into a deep, wide saucepan to a depth of at least 5 cm and heat over medium heat to 180°C (350°F). 8 min · 180°C / 350°F Ready when: oil reaches 180°C on thermometer; a drop of batter floats instantly
5. Keep a small cup of water with a teaspoon beside you; squeeze a handful of the risen batter through your loosely clenched fist, and scoop the ball of batter off your thumb using the moistened spoon directly into the hot oil. 3 min · 180°C / 350°F Ready when: dough balls round out immediately and bob to surface
6. Fry 8 to 10 balls at a time, turning them constantly with a slotted spoon or spider so they colour evenly, until crisp and golden brown all over. 4 min · 180°C / 350°F Ready when: deeply golden, rigid shell that sounds hollow when tapped
7. Lift the fried loukoumades with the slotted spoon and drain briefly on a plate lined with kitchen paper. 1 min Ready when: excess oil blotted while remaining piping hot
8. Repeat the squeezing and frying in batches with the remaining batter, maintaining the oil temperature throughout. 10 min · 180°C / 350°F Ready when: all batter cooked into uniform golden puffs
9. Transfer the piping-hot loukoumades onto a serving platter, pour the warmed thyme honey generously over them, and finish with ground cinnamon, toasted sesame seeds, and chopped walnuts. 2 min Ready when: glistening honey glaze clinging to hot crisp shells

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Make ahead and storing

Batter cannot be stored long once fully fermented; fry fresh.

Best eaten within 20 minutes of frying; they lose their signature crisp shell if kept.

Substitutions

• plain flour for cornflour. Cornflour adds exceptional lightness and crunch to the fried crust, but all-plain flour can be used.
• sugar syrup with lemon for Greek thyme honey. Common in northern Greece and for strict fasting days where honey is avoided.

Common mistakes

• Frying in oil that is not hot enough. The dough will absorb excessive oil and turn heavy and greasy instead of forming an instant crisp shell.
• Not wetting the scoop spoon between drops. The sticky batter will cling to the spoon and drop as misshapen splatters rather than round puffs.

Regional variants

• Loukoumades tou Agiou Andreou: prepared specially in Patras for the feast of Saint Andrew on 30 November.
• Kerkiraikes loukoumades (tiganites): Corfu carnival fritters shaped flat or in rings.

About the dish

Loukoumades are crisp, golden orbs of fried yeast batter, soft and hollow inside, drenched immediately with Greek honey, ground cinnamon, and toasted sesame seeds. Often associated in popular lore with the ancient honey-token treats offered to Olympic victors, the modern form and name stem from the Arabic 'luqma' (mouthful) through Ottoman confectionery traditions. They are traditionally fried to order at street stalls, summer panigiria, and dedicated 'loukoumatzidika' across Greece, as well as on Saint Andrew's feast day.

Found in all of Greece. Cooked for everyday, name day, panigiri feast.

Cousins elsewhere

• Lokma (Turkish). Sharing linguistic and historical roots via the Arabic luqma (morsel), though Turkish lokma are traditionally dunked in sugar syrup rather than drizzled with raw honey.
• Luqaimat (Levantine). Yeast-risen fried batter spheres served with date syrup or honey and sesame seeds throughout the Gulf and Levant.
• Loukoumades (Cypriot). Cypriot loukoumades often soak the fried balls thoroughly in cold sugar syrup scented with rosewater.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

1301 kcal · protein 5.7 g · fat 115.6 g (saturated 16.6 g) · carbohydrate 64.9 g (sugars 21.4 g) · fibre 2 g · sodium 200 mg

An estimate (summed from ingredient estimates) that varies with the exact ingredients. It is not dietary advice.

Written fresh by Epikouria editors from general culinary tradition. Recipe by the Epikouria editors. Following the classic Greek market and home technique of squeeze-cut yeast puffs drenched straight in warm honey and cinnamon..

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