Bimuelos (Chanukah cardamom sugar fritters)

On Chanukah (Hanukkah) Sephardi Jews celebrate not with latkes but with doughuts, specifically these small, rustic fritters that are serged either dusted with sugar or drizzled with honey. Bimuelos is a catchall term that can refer to a variety of small fried foods, both sweet and savoury. But on Chanukah it’s all about the doughnuts. This version adds cinnamon and cardamom to the traditional sugar topping, lending a hint of zest and spice to the sweet fritters.

Method:

• Stir together the yeast, 1 tsp of the sugar, and the warm water in a large bowl, and let sit until bubbling and frothy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together 420g (3 cups) of the flour, the remaining 50g (¼ cup) sugar, the cardamom, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir the egg yolks, milk and vanilla into the yeast mixture. Add the flour mixture in two additions, stirring until the dough begins to come together.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding up to 140g (1 cup) of flour, a little at a time, until the dough is smooth and supple, 5 to 10 minutes. (You may not need all of the flour.) The kneading can also be done in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Rub about 1 tsp of vegetable oil around the large bowl; place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat.
• Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
• Line a large plate with paper towels. Add oil to a medium saucepan until it's about 4cm (1 ½ inches) deep and set the pan over the medium heat until the temperature reaches 185°C (365°F) on a candy or deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches of five or six, pinch off walnut-size pieces of dough, roll each into a ball shape, and drop into the hot oil.
• Fry, flipping once, until puffed, golden and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate to drain.
• Make the cardamom sugar: Stir together the sugar, cardamom and cinnamon in a large bowl. Working in batches, add the warm bimuelos to the mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Extracted from: "Little Book of Jewish Sweets" (Chronicle Books)

First published in The JC December 6 2019