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Fijuelas
Honey-soaked fried dough spirals
Fijuelas (פיחואלס): Moroccan-Jewish fried dough spirals soaked in honey syrup
Fijuelas are the Hanukkah sweet of Moroccan Jews, also made for weddings and bar mitzvahs, and grandmothers in Netanya and Ashkelon still roll them by the hundred on a fork. Paper-thin strips of egg dough are wound into spirals as they hit the hot oil, puffing into crisp, lacy roses, then dipped in warm honey syrup with orange blossom. They should shatter when bitten and taste of honey rather than grease. The mistake that ruins them is rolling the dough too thick, which makes them chewy and oily; you should almost see the counter through it. Chef's tip: keep the syrup warm and the fried spirals cool, so they absorb a thin glaze and stay crisp for days.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the dough
- 9 oz plain flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
For the syrup
- 7 oz honey
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ¾ oz sugar
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
For frying and to finish
- 4 ¼ cups sunflower oilfor frying
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz plain flour, ½ tsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt, then add 3 eggs and 1 tbsp sunflower oil and knead for 5 minutes into a firm, smooth dough. Wrap and rest for 20 minutes.
25 minStep 2: Simmer 7 oz honey, ¼ cup water and 1 ¾ oz sugar for 5 minutes until slightly syrupy, then stir in 1 tsp orange blossom water and keep warm on the lowest heat.
5 minStep 3: Divide the dough into four and roll each piece as thin as you can, about 1 mm, on a lightly floured counter. Cut into strips 3 cm wide and 30 cm long.
10 minStep 4: Heat 4 ¼ cups sunflower oil in a deep pan to 350°F; a scrap of dough should rise and bubble at once.
Step 5: Pierce the end of a strip with a fork, lower it into the oil and turn the fork so the strip winds round it into a loose spiral. Slide it off after a few seconds and fry until pale golden, about 1 minute in all. Fry 2–3 at a time.
15 minStep 6: Drain on kitchen paper for a minute, then dip each spiral briefly in the warm syrup and lift onto a rack. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fijuelas take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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