Loukoumades - Greek honey & cinnamon puffs

It looks like that's it - Summer is over, at least around my area. It's raining almost all the time, it's gloomy and slowly we're moving into real autumn. This time of a year usually makes me feel a little bit blue... But there is something that cheers me up! Loukoumades! These little puffs are a perfect comfort food for first days of autumn. Soaked in sweet honey & cinnamon syrup, they're small golden bites of joy that will make you smile, no matter what. Get a couple of loukoumades, a cup of tea, blanket, plus a good book and you're going to win over that moody weather in no time!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2,5 glass flour
• 25g fresh yeast
• 2 glass warm water
• 1tsp salt
• 1tbs sugar
• 1tsp ouzo (optional)
• 500-750ml olive oil for deep frying (or vegetable oil of your choice)

SYRUP:

• 1 glass sugar
• 1/2 glass honey
• 1/2 glass water
• 1 cinnamon stick 

Extra: ground cinnamon for decoration

Dissolve sugar and yeast in few tablespoons of warm water and set it aside in a warm place to get them working.

Combine flour, salt, ouzo and rest of the water using mixer or a whisk. When yeast starts making a foam, add it to the mixture and mix until smooth. Your dough should look like a thick pancake mix. Set it aside to grow in a warm place for about an hour - or until it doubles its quantity.

Meanwhile prepare honey syrup:

Place sugar, honey, water and cinnamon stick in a pot with thick bottom and let it cook on medium heat until sugar melts completely - about 15- 20 minutes. Stir it once in a while to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Take it off the heat - be careful, it's really hot, and let it cool down.

When loukoumades mixture has doubled its quantity, heat up olive oil in a deep pot. You need enough of oil for loukoumades to float freely in your pot and not to touch the bottom.

Prepare a glass of water next to your bowl with the dough. Using a tablespoon scoop up some of the mixture and drop it into the hot oil, wetting your spoon every time you take another portion of dough.
Dipping a spoon in the water prevents dough from sticking to eat and makes it easier to drop into oil.

Fry in batches, until golden brown on the bottom, then flip them over and fry the other side too. It doesn't take much time - about 2-3 minutes per batch.

Personally I really enjoy watching them puffing up and forming little balls as soon as you drop the tough into hot oil!

Gently take loukoumades out using slotted spoon, place them on paper towel for a moment to drain and then drop them while still hot into honey syrup for about 2 minutes. Then take them out and place on a plate.

Tip: It's best if you put hot loukoumades in the syrup that has cooled down, or if you put cold loukoumades in a hot syrup - the difference in temperature somehow makes them soak the liquid better and they're becoming so unbelievably delicious!
This is why I have a "system" - when first batch is soaking in the syrup, I'm frying next batch. When second batch is almost ready I take our first from the syrup. Then I place second batch on the towel to drain and drop next batch in the oil. While it's frying, I drop second batch in the syrup and so on - I hope it doesn't sound to complicated - you'll find your way too!

After you've got all of loukoumades ready, let them cool down and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Enjoy the first crunchy bite, incredible sweetness of honey, amazing taste of cinnamon and...smile - autumn is beautiful!