Picarones Recipes

Steps:

• Fill water in a large pan with cinnamon, clove, and aniseed. Boil for 10 min, and strain reserving water.
• Cook sweet potatoes and squash in the reserved water until tender.
• Remove pan and force through a strainer.
• Reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid and allow to cool.
• In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar and reserved cooking liquid.
• Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Place strained sweet potatoes and squash in a large bowl. add salt, yeast mixture and eggs; stir until combined.
• Fold in flour and continue stirring until soft and smooth and elastic dough is formed.
• Cover with a damp cloth and leave dough to rise for 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a large skillet until hot. Take a small quantity of dough and form a ring.
• Fry in hot oil until golden on both sides. Repeat until all is used.
• Drain on paper napkins.
• Syrup:.
• combine sugar, clove, cinnamon, orange peel, allspice and water in a medium saucepan.
• Bring to boil over low heat until mixture thickens to a syrup.
• It will take around 20-25 minutes.

Steps:

• To make the infused honey, use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest (with no pith) from the orange in wide strips; set aside the fruit for another use. Combine the orange zest with the honey, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and star anise in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Take the pan off the heat and allow the honey to steep for 1 hour. Strain the honey, cover, and store at room temperature until needed.
• To make the picarones, combine the yeast with the warm water in a small bowl and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes until foamy. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the sugar, egg, pumpkin purée, and salt and mix on medium speed until well combined. Slowly add the flour, about one-half cup at a time. Continue to mix at medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry work surface, cover it with a clean, dry kitchen towel, and leave it to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Heat the oil to 350°F in a stockpot, using a candy or deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Punch down the dough with your fists, deflating it enough to handle and portion it into 16 equal balls. Roll each ball into a 6-inch rope (3 inches in diameter) and press the ends together to form a ring. Let the rings rest for 10 minutes.
• Fry the rings in batches, turning once, until crispy and golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on the baking sheet.
• Sprinkle the picarones with confectioners' sugar and serve hot, with the infused honey drizzled over the top or in a bowl for dipping.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm water and stir to dissolve.
• Add the sugar, egg, pumpkin, and salt; combine thoroughly.
• Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough becomes too stiff to beat with a wooden spoon.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead in enough of the remaining flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers.
• Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes).
• Shape it into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Punch down the dough and tear off pieces, shaping into doughnut-like rings, about 3 inches in diameter.
• Heat about 1-inch of oil in a deep skillet and fry the fritters for about 5 minutes, turning them once, until crisp and golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with warm maple syrup.
• Makes 12 servings.