Simple Oliebollen

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 kg flour
• 1 liter of milk
• 60 g sugar
• 53 g yeast, fresh
• 2 eggs
• 70 g butter, melted
• 400 g raisins
• 1 pinch of salt
• 100 ml brandy (gold brandy or cognac)
• 1 pinch(s) cinnamon powder
• Oil for frying, approx. 3 liters
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 150 g powdered sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 4 hours 40 minutes

Dutch New Year’s Eve pastries, makes about 50 pieces.

Soak the raisins in gold brandy. For a little more flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Put the flour in a bowl. Heat the milk to lukewarm and dissolve the yeast in it. Let this mixture stand for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the sugar, salt, two eggs, and melted butter to the flour. Gradually add the milk-yeast mixture to the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough bubbles and any lumps have disappeared. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest in a warm place indoors for 1.5 to 2 hours. Mix the dough in a large bowl; it will increase in volume 2 to 3 times after rising. After resting, tap the bottom of the bowl on the table 2 or 3 times. Now knead in the raisins. If they are still very wet, drain off the liquid first. Heat the oil in a large pot. You can tell if the oil is hot enough if you dip a wooden spoon into it and bubbles form on the spoon. If you have a deep fryer: The oil should be at a temperature of 180°C. Now the oliebollen are ready to fry. My trick for shaping the dough into balls: Take a ladle (preferably metal) and a tablespoon. Put 2 tablespoons of batter into the ladle. Briefly turn the dough in the ladle until a ball forms. Now quickly slide the dough from the ladle into the fat. An ice cream scoop can also be used. The oliebollen are done when they are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. You can also tell by their color: they should be brown. After frying, drain briefly in a sieve or on kitchen paper. Finally, sprinkle with plenty of powdered sugar. The oliebollen taste best fresh and warm. But they are also delicious cold. In the Netherlands, they are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve.