Buñuelos Cubanos Rápido
(boo-NYWEH-los koo-BAH-nos RAH-pee-doh)
Nochebuena y Domingos en Familia: Rituals, Weekends, and Holidays
First-generation kids from the Midwest know the smell of Nochebuena anywhere. In Cuba, grandmothers spent hours cranking heavy cast-iron meat grinders to mash tubers into the perfect infinite figure-eight, but nobody has time for that on a Tuesday in Ohio. By swapping the grinder for a food processor and using high-quality frozen yuca, this adaptation unapologetically cuts the labor without losing an ounce of the soul—delivering the dense, starchy bite and anise-heavy syrup that tastes exactly like home.
Before you start
Prepare the anise syrup ahead of time.
Combine the sugar, water, star anise, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir it once it begins to boil, or the sugar will crystallize and ruin the batch. Let it simmer undisturbed for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens slightly, then remove from the heat, gently stir in the vanilla, and set aside to cool.
Ingredients
- white granulated sugar2 cup
- water1 cup
- star anise pods4 med
- cinnamon stick1 large
- lemon1 large
- pure vanilla extract1 tsp
- frozen yuca chunks1 lb
- malanga1 lb
- egg1 large
- ground anise1 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- all-purpose flour1/2 cup
- neutral oil1 qt
Method
- 01
Boil the tubers until just fork-tender.
Drop the yuca and malanga into a large pot of boiling salted water for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not let them turn to mush, or they will waterlog the dough. Drain immediately and let them steam-dry on paper towels for five minutes.
- 02
Remove the woody veins and process the mash.
Split the warm yuca open and pull out the fibrous central vein running down the middle. Toss the yuca and malanga into a food processor and pulse for a minute or two until completely smooth and lump-free.
- 03
Knead the dough using as little flour as possible.
Transfer the paste to a bowl and mix in the beaten egg, ground anise, and salt. Gradually sprinkle in the flour, gently kneading just until the dough forms a smooth ball that no longer aggressively sticks to your fingers.
- 04
Shape the dough into infinity symbols.
Dust your hands and a board with flour, pinch off a golf-ball-sized piece of dough, and roll it into an eight-inch snake. Cross the ends over each other and pinch to form a figure-eight.
- 05
Fry the buñuelos to golden perfection.
Heat two inches of neutral oil to 350°F in a deep skillet. Fry in batches until shatteringly crisp and deep golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, then drain on a wire rack.
- 06
Serve hot and heavily drenched in syrup.
Pile the hot, pillowy fritters onto a platter and drown them in the cooled anise syrup immediately before eating.
Notes
Moisture management is the secret to a perfect fritter.
If you overcook the tubers, they act like sponges. You'll be forced to add extra flour to save the dough, resulting in a dense, heavy brick instead of a light buñuelo.
Frozen yuca is a completely acceptable shortcut.
High-quality frozen yuca is peeled, chopped, and frozen at peak freshness. It saves you thirty minutes of manual labor and behaves identically to fresh root.
From Cook Cuban in America.