Buñuelos are a traditional food served to friends and family who come to pray the Novenas to the Virgin Mary during the Christmas holidays, from December 15 to 24. In many of the central departments in Colombia, we serve them with Hojaldras (page XXX), and Natilla (page XXX). You can buy them in bakeries all around the country. This recipe of buñuelos are the original ones prepared with a “yellow corn” starch called ‘Harina de Maiz Capio”, which is an indigenous corn grown from the family of the yellow corn with large grain and cob. You can also prepare them with Maicena or regular corn starch. These buñuelos are so easy because you can prepare them ahead of time and serve them at room temperature. When you fry your buñuelos, they should fit loosely because they expand as they cook. This way they will turn themselves and cook evenly on all sides.
Place the cheese in a large bowl
Add the corn starch, sugar, salt and egg and mix well with your hands. Form into about thirty 1½-inch balls. The mixture is so soft that it fells like making balls out of cotton. They work out great!
Heat the oil in a large pot to 325º F. Gently drop a ball of dough in the oil. It should fall to the bottom of the oil and float back up after 30 seconds. If it floats immediately, lower the heat of the oil. To test the temperature of the oil in a traditional way we do the following: Form a ½ inch ball of masa and place it in the oil. It should fall to the bottom of the oil and float back up after 30 seconds. If it floats immediately, lower the heat of the oil.
In a deep heavy pot, heat the oil to 325F. Place about 6 to 8 buñuelos at a time in the oil, decrease the heat to low, about 300F for 5 minutes, cover and turn the heat off, leave covered for 5 minutes. They will grow, watch carefully!
Uncover and turn the heat up again to 350F and keep cooking for 5 minutes more turning if they don’t turn themselves.
Remove from the oil and drain over paper towels. Serve immediately, or store in airtight containers.
Chef Coach, Food Nutritionist and Cook in Love with Latin Food, Author of six cookbooks. 40+ years of Experience in the Food Industry & Nutrition
...& the Science of Food
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