July 23, 2024

Greek Honey Puffs Recipe - Loukoumades, Greek Mini Donuts

Loukoumades, also known as Greek mini donuts, are a type of Greek fried dough pastry with a history dating back to ancient times and the Olympic Games. It's a very popular Greek "pastry" that everyone loves and so easy to make. It has always been associated with events and celebrations, but these days you can find it anywhere all year round!

History of Loukoumades

Loukoumades originate in ancient Greece, when they were called "honey tokens" and with plenty of evidence from ancient Greek literature where references to these delicious honey-drizzled fried dough bites can be found often. During the ancient Olympic Games, which began in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece, victors were awarded with honey tokens or sweet fried dough, an early version/form of loukoumades. This tradition was part of the celebratory feasts honouring the winning athletes; honey puffs were a symbol of victory and celebration.

Nowadays many variations of these honey sweet donuts can be found all over the Mediterranean region, but the essence of loukoumades carries a rich history intertwined with Greek culture and the legacy of the Olympic Games, representing both culinary tradition and celebratory customs.

Ingredients

2 packs of dried yeast - aprox 15gr
500g plain or all purpose flour
220ml of lukewarm to warm water
aprox 200-250ml lukewarm to warm milk (see how much it takes)
120gr of Greek honey
1tsp of sea salt
Vegetable oil for frying
150gr of Greek honey with saffron for garnishing.
Crushed walnuts or pistachios for garnishing
Cinnamon ground for garnishing
Melted dark chocolate to garnish - optional
Organic Greek coffee or espresso coffee to serve with.

Method

Mix by hand the yeast, milk and water in a large bowl for a few minutes until the mixture starts being frothy.
Fold in the mixture the flour, salt and honey. Using an electric dough mixer or by hand beat the ingredients for about 6-8 minutes until the mixture becomes an elastic dough and there are no visible lumps in it.
Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover it. Make sure it’s a warmish place and wait until the dough has nearly doubled in size. This should take about 45mins to 1hour.
Heat plenty of oil in a deep to medium pan to approx. 180C to 190C, but no higher.
You can either use a greased tablespoon for picking the batter and dropping it in the hot oil or squeeze out a small portion from the mixture between your thumb and index finger and drop it in the hot oil. Fry it until it turns golden (10-20 seconds). Don’t over fill the pan as you need to stir the loukoumades within the oil with a slotted spoon.
Place the loukoumades one by one on a plate that has been lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil or place them straight on a strainer.
Before serving the loukoumades, pour lots of Greek honey on top, sprinkle with ground cinammon and with crushed pistachios or walnuts.