November 1st is All Saints’ Day. It’s a national holiday here in Spain. Since it falls on a Sunday this year, Monday is also a holiday. This means the grocery stores will be closed for two days, (luckily this time we’re prepared…we have enough toilet paper to last until next week). Most people will head out of the city to their pueblos. Before leaving town, they’ll stop to pick up flowers to place in the cemetery. They will also buy a tray of the traditional pastries, buñuelos de viento; puffs of fried dough filled with various sweet fillings. (Read more about All Saints’ Day in Spain here)
Buñuelos de viento are like free style cream puffs
Buñuelos de viento are more like French beignets than Mexican style buñuelos. It all starts with the same dough used to make cream puffs, eclairs and Spanish style churros. Most people refer to this type of dough as pâte à choux no matter where you are. Making pâte à choux is really simple and it’s the foundation of many sweet and savory pastries. Baker Bettie has an excellent series of posts on her website. I used her basic dough recipe and filled my buñuelos de viento with a simple microwave pastry cream found on Chocolatisimo, a Spanish website. There’s a nice video which demonstrates how to make both the buñuelos and the pastry cream. You don’t have to understand Spanish to follow what’s going on in the video, especially if you refer to the instructions I give you and the photo tutorial from Baker Bettie.
Although it can be intimidating, there’s nothing particularly difficult about making the fritters or the pastry cream. Pick a time when you can work undisturbed, assemble and prep all the ingredients before starting and take your time. The first time I made cream puffs for Christmas I had a few “I’ve made a huge mistake” moments but the results were great!
You will need some equipment:
- a large, heavy bottomed saucepan or dutch oven to make the dough
- a mixer to beat in the eggs, but a wooden spoon and elbow grease works fine.
- a medium saucepan or skillet deep enough to hold a couple inches of oil for frying
- a plate lined with paper towels to drain the fritters as they come out of the oil.
- a heat proof bowl to make the pastry cream plus towel or hot pad for removing it from the microwave
- a pastry bag and tip will be helpful for filling the buñuelos, but a plastic baggie with a corner cut off will also work.
Ingredients
For the pastry cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- large piece of lemon peel not the white part
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon or one stick
- 2 teaspoons vanilla or the seeds from half a pod
For the buñuelos (Makes 24 or more)
- 1 cup water
- 1 stick of butter cut into small pieces
- generous pinch of salt
- 1 cup flour I used regular flour
- 4 large eggs
- oil for frying I used sunflower oil
- 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 2 - 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon for dusting the buñuelos
Instructions
Make the pastry cream first.
- Combine all the ingredients for the cream in a microwave safe bowl. Whisk well, making sure to incorporate the sugar.
- Microwave on high for two minutes. Carefully remove from the oven. Whisk well.
- Microwave on high for two more minutes. You may notice clumping, but the whisk should take care of them.
- Microwave for one more minute. You may notice the cream beginning to boil. Be mindful of the steam. Remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick if used. Whisk well until smooth and creamy.
- Allow to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and press into the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Store in the fridge for up to a week. You'll want to whisk it before using.
Make the buñuelos
- Heat the water, butter and salt together in a large heavy saucepan or dutch oven.
- When the butter is melted and the water begins to boil, reduce the heat, then add the flour all at once. Stir until a ball forms. Remove from the heat.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each egg is completely incorporated into the dough before adding the next. (You'll be able to tell. With each egg the dough becomes shinier and starts to look like a really thick batter.)
- Set the batter aside while you heat oil in a medium saucepan. You'll want the oil to be about 2 inches deep. If you have a thermometer the oil should be between 360°F and 375°F (182°C to 190°C). Otherwise, the oil is ready when it shimmers and a small amount of dough sinks and then immediately rises back to the top. The temperature is important because the steam that forms inside the buñuelo helps to cook it from the inside. If too hot, it will brown too quickly and the interior will be raw. Too cool, and they'll be greasy.
- Use a couple of spoons to portion the dough and fry in batches, turning once or twice. The dough will puff up as it cooks. The time it takes to cook depends on the size of the fritters and the temperature of the oil. Mine took 3 - 4 minutes.
- Drain the cooked buñuelos and toss or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Serve right away or use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut a small hole and fill with the pastry cream.
- These are best eaten right away or at most the day after. They'll get soggy, but will still taste good.
My buñuelos are irregular in shape, which is how I think fritters should be. If you’d rather yours be round, like the professional version shown below, make them smaller and use the spoons to form the shape before dropping them into the oil [hint: dip the spoons into the hot oil to help prevent the dough from sticking].
If, after reading the directions you’re thinking, “Ain’t nobody got time for that” check out Tangier Island Fried Biscuits for something similar, but easier to make.
Yum! I would want a deep fryer on permanently so I could fry one of these off every time I felt like some golden goodness.
Ha ha, my pants would never forgive me if I did that 🙂
I go to the store at least once a day so I am not sure I can handle the store being closed for two days. Even if I have enough supplies for three weeks, it still makes me nervous! These are awesome and I will have to check out the tutorial. Every time I try and make the dough, it turns out grainy!
Do check out the tutorial, there are so many things you can do with pate choux. (rhyming not intentional, hahaha)
These look absolutely delicious, and I love the tradition behind them. It’s hard to imagine stores here being closed for two days! 🙂
Here and there you’ll find places where you can buy bread and milk but once the bread is gone you’ll have to go somewhere else.
I think I fell in love with your wind fritters, they look delicious.
They were fun to make and eat. The recipe makes just enough to share and eat within two days. Hope you try them 🙂
So interesting to read about the celebraion of All Saints day in your part of the world! And this pastrylooks so good! µy husband loves apple fritters. I’m pretty sure he would be delighted with these. I’m a big fan of that cream filling too!
I was skeptical that it could be done in the microwave but it was much easier than doing it on the stove.
Just another reason to love Spain! My mother’s Mexican bunelos are pretty good, but you’re right, different. These look like little fluffy pieces of heaven. Can’t wait to try them! Thanks for the great recipe!
We had the opportunity to try the “professionally made” bunuelos. I’m happy that mine tasted just as good, if a little rustically shaped 🙂
These look delicious. Enjoy your extended weekend and I am happy for you that you stocked up!!
The stores were pretty depleted. It reminded me of when it snows in Maryland hahaha.
These look like deep fried cream puffs. What a clever idea, and the cream filling looks lovely. I love the history that you added to this post!
That’s exactly what they are, Marjie 🙂 Isn’t it interesting how the same dough can be use many different ways?
We have all Saints’ Day in Greece too but we celebrate it in June! These treats look absolutely perfect! Happy holiday to you Lydia!
Thank you, Katerina. We’re going to take a drive to Rick’s family village and visit with some of his cousins. I’m sure there will be lots of food 🙂
I love that you live in Spain and post about traditional local food. We are based out of Thailand at the moment and I hope to incorporate more local food on the blog soon.
The concept of fried puff pastries sounds and looks really intriguing.
What fascinates me are the similarities between food cultures in this region of the world. It makes sense with all the historical migration and conquest and the common ingredients, but some traditional foods have travelled a looooong way 🙂
Fried dough …any fried dough.. and I’m in. This looks amazing Lydia – and I totally enjoyed your post.
They were fun. Traditionally these were made by nuns and sold to fund the convents. I’ve seen some reference to these as “Nun’s Farts” which is funny even though I’m not 12 anymore 🙂
Oh, wow, I love fritters, and these look and sound amazing, I will have to give them a try soon!
Please let me know how they work out for you, Joy 🙂
Where in the world have I been! The only bunuelos I’ve had are flat, not filled with pastry cream! I need to give these a try!
I’m more familiar with the flat ones, too, but I’ve also had bunuelos that are more like hush puppies in texture. I hope you get a chance to make them 🙂
i’ve never had these before, but they look delicious!!
Thank you, Katy 🙂
Love..love…bunuelos. I need to try to make my own!!!
These are fun to make. Hope you enjoy them 🙂
Wow, these look heavenly! I love idea of a bunuelo filled with pastry cream! I’ve only had them sprinkled with sugar. Happy All Saints Day to you!
Thanks, Sabrina 🙂 I like them with just sugar, too.
I ADORE bunuelos! I’ve only ever tried the Venezuelan version of them, but this recipe looks so good! I’ll have to make these for my husband – he’s a huge bunuelos fan!
Thanks, Paige! They were fun to make. Hope your husband likes them 🙂
These look delicious, but I love anything made with fried dough. Your directions are so descriptive and make the recipe look simple!
Thank you Sarah. I like fried dough, too. We recently bought some churros at a street fair. I wanted to have chocolate with them but the vender only had beer left to sell…I’m glad I’d never tried that combination earlier in life! It was pretty decent, hahaha!