Oliebollen and a Happy New Year 2012!!

Simone (junglefrog) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 07:00:49 +0000

It’s here… Happy New Year!

Oliebollen!

So let me first start by wishing everyone a fantastic 2012. Wishing you lots and lots of happiness, love and health for you and your families. Great food, friendship and more love. If you have any dreams or desires or plans for 2012, then I hope those will come to pass.

I cannot believe 2011 is over… It’s been a roller coaster of a year with a lot of lows and a lot of highs to. I met some amazing bloggers, that I now call friends in person during the fantastic Plate to Page workshop in Germany and during Food Blogger Connect in London. I’ve been to Germany (twice), London and France this year. O and let’s not forget our trip to Costa Rica at the beginning of the year.

On the low side, we have lost Tom’s grandma, Tom’s mum and a very dear friend as well this year. Tom’s lost his job too so in that respect 2011 hasn’t been the greatest year at all. But we’re positive about the future and it will bring new opportunities and chances. Of that I am sure!

To kick of the New Year I am giving you a traditional recipe that is quite famous here in the Netherlands and something that almost every single Dutch person will have tonight. Oliebollen… There is not really a good translation for this word, literally it would mean oil balls. Now that sounds just plain terrible, I’m sure you would agree. So the more commonly used term is Dutch donuts. It’s a bit similar to donuts but mmm, maybe better! The recipe I am about to give you

comes from a Dutch Blog called Eetschrijven and is maintained by a Dutch culinary journalist who also happens to live in the same town as I do. But that’s beside the point. I had never made these beauties myself although my dad always made huge batches of them around this time. So this is my first try ever at making oliebollen myself and what can I say? They are totally and uttery delicious!

Oliebollen

Print recipe

Serves	30-40
Prep time	1 hour, 20 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	1 hour, 50 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Wheat
Meal type	Side Dish, Snack
Misc	Serve Cold, Serve Hot
Region	European
Website	Eetschrijver

Ingredients

1kg all purpose flour
750ml carbonated water (while the original recipe states 750 ml I added quite a bit extra water as the dough seemed too dry. Added about 300 ml extra!)
50ml milk (only if you're using fresh yeast)
2 eggs
32g yeast (dry or instant yeast. If using fresh yeast you need 80 gr)
50g butter
30g sugar
15g salt
10g ground cinnamon
2 lemon zest (zest of 2 lemons)
200g raisins
100g black dried currants
150g sour apples (in small cubes)
2 litres sunflower oil (for baking the donuts)

Optional

100g other dried fruits

Directions


Wash the raisins and currants thoroughly in tepid water and dried very well with a teatowel. Melt the butter on low heat in a small saucepan. If using fresh yeast dissolve in tepid milk. Put the flour, salt and the sugar in a large bowl and mix the eggs through. After that slowly add the carbonated water in and keep mixing until all is combined and there are no lumbs. I used a wooden spoon for that as the mixture became too firm to do that with a whisk. Add the yeast (or if using fresh; the milk with the yeast), the melted butter, the lemon zest and the cinnamon, mix again and add the currants, raisins and any other fruits you want to ad plus the apple and slowly stir for about 3 minutes with a wooden spoon.

Put a teatowel over the bowl that has been moistened with handwarm water and put the bowl in a warm spot (next to the radiator for instance) and leave to rise for about an hour. In the meantime start letting the oil come to the right temperature (obviously you do not need an hour for that) and make sure the oil is 180 C (356 F) when you're ready to start baking.

Take your bowl and stir the mixture again with the wooden spoon. It's easiest to drop them into the hot oil with either an icecreamscoop or two regular spoons. Put your scoop into the hot oil for 1 second and then - using the side of your bowl - scoop out a nice round ball. Carefully slide that into the hot oil and add two or three more balls into the oil (depending on the size of your pan). Bake the balls for about 3 minutes each side (turn them over to the other side halfway by using two forks) until golden brown. Take them out with a slotted spoon and leave to drain in a collander lined with kitchenpaper. Only add icing sugar to the balls shortly before putting them on the table.

Note

I found mine were done sooner then the 3 minutes each side. I think they needed 2 minutes. So don't stick to the timing but use your eyes and eat one if you're unsure if they're cooked properly.

Since these are not very sweet they are served best with some icing sugar dusted on top.

Soooo good!

I am also dedicating this post to the Virtual New Years Party. This virtual party is being hosted by Lora and Sanjeeta kk. These two lovely ladies bring a big group of bloggers together to share a virtual party taking you around some of the best recipes we had and shared with you in 2011. Make sure to check out the other bloggers sites too! And how can I not start with this gorgeous chocolate cake that was a real winner with most of you and has been made by a number of people too!

Chocolate cake with blue berries

Another one of my favorites is this delicious winter stew that had a lot of copper pot envy going around too.

Italian sausage stew with lentils

Then there was the matter of my slow cooked pears in a rich red wine sauce..

Poached pears in red wine sauce

And then last but not least there is another dessert popping up to end the line. A delicious mascarpone raspberry trifle. Ofcourse I can continue endlessly but I think these four pretty much sum up the most popular recipes for the last year.

Mascarpone raspberry trifle

And do I have any New Years resolutions? Well yes, although I prefer not to call them that plus I already started so they don’t count. First on the list is eating healthier foods. After all that sweetness during the month of december I am ready for some proper cooking. No more cakes, cookies and other sweets. Expect to see some delicious soups, stews and other savory things passing here (with ok, maybe the occassional treat in between. What the rest of the year will bring us is a guess at best, but whatever it is; we will make the most of it!!

I found some great inspiration the last year from great friends and fellow bloggers; Have a look at their blogs and be amazed!

Meeta from What’s for Lunch Honey

Jamie from Life’s a Feast

Mona from Wise words

Jeanne from Cooksisterblog

Ilva from Lucullian Delights

Jenn from Jenncuisine

And so many others out there too but the list would be too long to continue!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

For all posts in the Virtual New Years party check out the posts you see below!

HAPPY NEWYEAR!!

Simone (junglefrog) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:05:19 +0000

It’s been a roller coaster ride this year… can’t believe it is almost over! I’ve met some wonderful people here online and your support and friendship meant the world to me! Thanks for making this such a fun place to be!

Have a fantastic New Year everyone and a lovely and healthy 2010!

One of my favorite blogs of all time is Jamie’s LifesaFeast. Vote for my dear friend here for the Home Award!!

I’ll be back soon!

Oliebollen and a Happy New Year 2012!!

Junglefrog Cooking » happy new year