Buñuelos

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Buñuelos (alternatively spelled bimuelos, birmuelos, bermuelos, burmuelos, bunyols) are fritters of a mainly Spanish origin. They are a popular dessert in many Latin American countries, and are traditionally eaten at Christmas. They typically consist of a simple, wheat-based yeast dough, often flavored with anise, that is thinly rolled, cut or shaped into individual pieces, then fried and finished off with a sweet topping.

There are different types of buñuelos. Some are made with cheese or with yam or other starchy vegetables, others have different fillings.

Southwestern buñuelos are coated with sugar and cinnamon and are similar to malasadas.

Popular types of breads in Mijas include buñuelos and homazos. The Spanish have an appetite for mixing the sweet and savoury, a tradition which has its origins in Arabic culture, as the Moorish invaders also combined different types of food in one meal.

To make Mexican buñelos, a yeasted dough with a hint of anise is deep-fried, then drenched in a syrup of brown sugar, cinnamon, and guava. Buñelos are commonly served in Mexico and other Latin American countries with powdered sugar, a cinnamon and sugar topping, or hot sugar cane syrup (piloncillo) and are sold in fairs, carnivals, and Christmas events such as posadas or pastorellas.

• In Nicaragua buñuelos are typically made of yuka. The buñuelos are coated with grated cotija cheese then rolled into balls and deep fried then served with miel. They are eaten year-round, and extremely popular with Nicaraguans living abroad (particularly in the U.S.).

• In Colombia, they are not sweet and are made with a small curd white cheese and formed into doughy balls then fried golden brown. It is a traditional Christmas dish, served along with natilla.

• In Cuba, they are traditionally twisted in a pretzel-shape and covered in an anise caramel.

There are references to buñelos in Mallorca; there also bunelos in Turkey, India, and Cuba; bunuelos in Russia. Jews in Turkey make buñuelos with matzo meal and eat them during Passover. They are also popular during Hannukah.