Buñuelos Rápidos de Tortilla de Harina
(boo-NYWAY-lohs RAH-pee-dohs de tor-TEE-yah de ah-REE-nah)
La Tamalada: The Sacred Rituals of Holiday Gatherings
Making from-scratch buñuelos is a labor of love reserved for the long, joyous, exhausting days of La Tamalada, but the abuelas have a brilliant secret for random weeknights. Across the borderlands, dropping raw, uncooked flour tortillas into hot oil is a respected act of culinary resourcefulness that produces an airy, blistered miracle in seconds. Tossed immediately in floral Ceylon cinnamon and served with a quick piloncillo syrup, this is the uncompromising taste of the holidays, delivered effortlessly on a Tuesday.
Ingredients
- uncooked flour tortillas12 small
- neutral vegetable oil2 cup
- granulated cane sugar1/2 cup
- ground Ceylon cinnamon1 tbsp
- water2 cup
- piloncillo8 oz
- cinnamon stick1 large
Method
- 01
Whisk the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon together in a wide, shallow dish.
Place this dish directly next to the stove with a paper-towel-lined plate nearby to establish a seamless frying station.
- 02
Combine the water, piloncillo, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Once the unrefined sugar dissolves entirely, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for roughly fifteen minutes until it reduces to a light, aromatic syrup, then remove from the heat.
- 03
Heat an inch of neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet to 350 degrees.
If you lack a thermometer, dip the edge of a raw tortilla into the oil; it should immediately sizzle and enthusiastically bubble.
- 04
Carefully lower a raw tortilla into the hot oil and gently press down any massive bubbles with tongs to ensure an even fry.
Fry for thirty to forty-five seconds until the bottom turns a beautiful golden brown, then flip and fry the other side for another thirty seconds.
- 05
Remove the buñuelo, letting excess oil drip back into the pan for exactly two seconds, and instantly submerge it in the cinnamon sugar.
Do not rest it on a paper towel first. The science here is unforgiving; if the residual oil cools and dries, the sugar will refuse to stick.
- 06
Toss and press the spiced sugar into both sides of the blistering dough.
Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas, stacking them high and serving them warm alongside small cups of the miel de piloncillo for dipping or drizzling.
Notes
If you are hosting a crowd, use a pizza cutter to slice the raw tortillas into quarters before frying.
This yields a mountain of bite-sized, blistered chips in a fraction of the time and is highly favored by kids.
If you cannot source a piloncillo cone, substitute one cup of dark brown sugar mixed with a teaspoon of molasses.
It lacks the profound smoky depth of unrefined Mexican cane sugar, but it remains a highly effective stand-in.
From Cook Tex-Mex.