Traditional loukoumades with honey and walnuts

A true sweet treat !

This recipe was created for Greek Breakfast, a Hellenic Chamber of Hotels Project, at Xenia 2019. For more information on Greek Breakfast, please visit the website: www.greekbreakfast.gr

Ingredients:

For the loukoumades
240 g lukewarm milk
240 g lukewarm water
15 g dry yeast (2 packets)
450 g all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 levelled teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
oil for frying

For the garnish
350 g honey
cinnamon powder
walnuts, finely chopped

For the chocolate sauce
200 g baking chocolate, chopped
110 g water
75 g castor sugar

Method of preparation:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the water and the yeast.

Stir with a fork and wait 5 minutes to let the yeast dissolve completely.

In the same bowl, add the rest of the ingredients for the batter.

Beat the ingredients in the mixer (using the whisk attachment) on high speed for about 2 minutes, until thickened.

(You can also beat the mixture with a whisk by hand, until a smooth batter forms).

Cover the bowl with cling film and let rest and rise in a warm spot for at least an hour.

To fry the loukoumades, add plenty of (frying) oil to a medium-sized pot.

Heat up the oil. You can test whether the oil is hot enough by dropping in some batter. The oil is up to temperature when the batter starts to bubble.

Dip a soup spoon in water, scoop some of the batter, and drop it in the hot oil.

Repeat, always wetting the spoon to help the batter fall off, until loukoumades cover the surface of the pan.

While the loukoumades are frying, use a slotted spoon to push them into the oil and turn them over until uniformly golden brown.

Strain onto a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Repeat with the remaining batter.

Once done, transfer the loukoumades to a large platter, drizzle with heated honey and sprinkle with cinnamon and walnuts.

Optionally, you can drizzle chocolate sauce over the loukoumades instead.

To prepare the sauce, add the sugar and water to a saucepan and simmer.

Continue simmering for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved.

Add the chopped chocolate and continue stirring until melted and a uniform sauce has developed.

Drizzle the hot chocolate sauce over the loukoumades, sprinkle with crushed walnuts or almonds, and enjoy!

Stratos Iosifellis , Chef, professor of Cooking Art, partner of “Greek Breakfast” – under the auspices of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels