Oliebollen (Dutch New Year's Doughnuts)

Method

1. Soak the raisins in hot water for 10 minutes until plump, then drain and pat dry with paper towels; soaked raisins do not burn in the oil. Peel and core the apple and cut it into 5 mm dice.

2. Pour the milk into a 14 cm pot and warm it over low heat for 1 min until lukewarm, about 37 °C: barely warm on the inside of your wrist. Off the heat, stir in the yeast and sugar and leave for 5 minutes.

   Add in this stepMilk 125 mlInstant dried yeast 3 gSugar 15 g

   low heat

3. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl, make a well and pour in the milk mixture and the egg. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon (or a hand mixer with dough hooks) for 4 min, until smooth and elastic: when you lift the spoon, the batter should stretch in sticky strands. It is much wetter than bread dough but too thick to pour. Fold in the raisins and apple.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 125 gSalt ¼ tspEgg (beaten, then measured) ½Raisins (or currants) 40 gTart apple ½

4. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave it somewhere warm (25 to 30 °C) for 1 h, until doubled and bubbly on top. Don't stir it afterwards; knocking out the air makes the oliebollen less fluffy.

5. Pour the oil into a deep 20 cm pot, at least 6 cm deep but no more than one third of the pot's height, and heat over high heat for about 9 min, to 180 °C. No thermometer? Dip in a wooden chopstick: lively small bubbles should rise around it. Keep wet utensils away, turn the pot handle inwards and keep a lid within reach. If the oil smokes, turn off the heat.

   Add in this stepOil for frying (e.g. sunflower) 1 L

   high heat

6. Dip two spoons (or an ice-cream scoop) in the oil, scoop up a portion of batter a little larger than a golf ball (about 45 g) and push it off with the other spoon, close to the surface of the oil. Fry 4 or 5 at a time, in 2 batches, for 6 min per batch over medium-high heat. They usually turn over by themselves; if not, turn them halfway. Lift out when deep golden brown. Break one from the first batch open to check there is no wet batter inside; if there is, fry a little longer and lower the heat slightly.

   medium-high heat

7. Drain in a colander or bowl lined with paper towels and, just before serving, dust generously with icing sugar through a sieve. Eat them warm.

   Add in this stepIcing sugar 20 g