Oliekoeken Recipes

Steps:

• Break up the compressed yeast, and stir into the warm milk. Let stand for a few minutes to dissolve. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir the yeast mixture and egg into the flour and mix into a smooth batter. Stir in the currants, raisins and apple. Cover the bowl, and leave the batter in a warm place to rise until double in size. This will take about 1 hour.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer, or heavy deep pan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Use 2 metal spoons to shape scoops of dough into balls, and drop them carefully into the hot oil.
• Fry the balls until golden brown, about 8 minutes. The doughnuts should be soft and not greasy. If the oil is not hot enough, the outside will be tough and the insides greasy. Drain finished doughnuts on paper towels and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve them piled on a dish with more confectioners' sugar dusted over them. Eat them hot if possible.

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast in the water in a small bowl and sprinkle with the sugar. Let it stand for a moment, then stir to dissolve the yeast. Set aside in a warm place. In the meantime melt the butter and cool. Place the raisins in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Allow them to boil for a minute and then turn off the heat. Let them stand for 5 minutes and drain. Pat them dry with paper towels and mix them with 1 tablespoon of flour. Place the rest of the flour in a large bowl, stir in the salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast. Stir from the middle and slowly add the melted butter and the milk. The dough should be very thick and hard to stir. Then add raisins, apples, and almonds and combine thoroughly. Allow this batter to rise for about 1 hour. When doubled in bulk, stir down the dough. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough and push it off the spoon with the aid of another spoon and let it (carefully) drop into the hot oil. They should be at least 2-inches in diameter. Fry the olie-koecken for about 5 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. The original recipe does not tell us to sprinkle or roll them in the sugar. They are very good plain, but if you prefer you can dust them with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Microwave 1 cup of the milk in a small microwave-safe bowl until warm (between 110 to 115 degrees F), about 1 minute, then stir to even out the temperature. Add the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar, stirring just enough to hydrate the yeast. Let bloom for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Sift the flour, salt and remaining granulated sugar into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the yeast mixture, eggs and remaining 1 cup milk. Stir the batter to combine and continue to mix until the consistency of a sticky pancake batter, about 3 minutes. Add the currants and orange peel and stir until fully combined, about 1 minute more. Cover the bowl with a slightly damp kitchen towel and put a plate on top to seal in the humidity. Leave it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• When the batter has risen, stir it a couple of times to deflate it a little before frying.
• Meanwhile, heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep Dutch oven to 360 degrees F; line a baking sheet with a rack.
• Gently drop 8 to 9 heaping tablespoons of batter (see Cook's Note) into the oil and cook, flipping halfway through, until a deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes; the oliebollen will be rounded with some wild edges. Place them on the cooling rack for a few minutes, then transfer them to a large bowl with about 2 tablespoons of the confectioners' sugar and toss to coat in the sugar. Return them back to the cooling rack to finish cooling; the steam from the oliebollen will help create a nice glaze with the sugar. Repeat with the remaining batter and confectioners' sugar, making sure to bring the oil back to 360 degrees F before frying each batch. Serve warm or let cool completely before storing in a paper bag to serve later.

Steps:

• Soften yeast in lukewarm water.
• Add remaining ingredients, using enough water to make a soft drop batter.
• Let rise until light.
• While dough is rising, preheat oil to 365°F.
• Drop batter from a tablespoon into hot oil and fry until golden brown.
• Dip spoon into cold water between doughnuts to prevent batter from sticking.
• Drain doughnuts on paper towels and roll in confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Put flour in a bowl with the salt and make a well.
• Add the yeast, which has been dissolved in a little warm milk.
• Add remaining milk, currants and the apples if using.
• Beat to smooth and airy, cover and let stand in a warm spot for 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a deep pan until very hot and fry the oliebollen quickly-you want them golden and cooked through. Turn half-way through the cooking process.
• Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.