Loukoumades
We have a bench mark for loukoumades: GO to Krinos Loukoumades 87 Aiolou St, Athens at the back of the Athen’s meat market and never agreeto share. This family has been making loukoumades in the same place sine 1923. On a busy day expect to queue. Don’t be surprised to find yourself joining the queue again for an unbelievable second helping; one of the best sweet treats Athens has to offer. This is basically a sour dough that they add to and has the most fabulous crispy shell and a delicious slightly sour doughy centre and the loukoumades are then drizzled with the bitter sweet thyme honey from Crete.
For the syrup
There is a debate with loukoumathes…straight honey or infused syrup. We have gone for infused syrup, only, because it is almost impossible to find Australian honey with the same profile as the thyme honey from Crete which is more bitter than sweet.
Skim the scum from the syrup.
500g filtered water
200g honey
6 strips of lemon peel
2 cinnamon sticks
2 sprigs of thyme if you can take it straight from your garden
Weigh everything into a saucepan and place it on high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar and honey are incorporated then turn the heat down low and cook, skimming until you have a good molten honey consistency.
For the loukoumades
Makes approximately 18
5g dried yeastFor the loukoumades Makes approximately 18
5g dried yeast
100g luke warm water [38°C]
200g unsweetened Greek Yoghurt…no whey
20g finely grated lemon rind [don’t use Meyer lemons they are too sweet]
125g plain flour
125g self-raising flour
Vegetable oil for frying
Weigh the yeast into a bowl and add the water. Whisk until the yeast is dissolved and then weigh in the yoghurt and lemon rind. Whisk until smooth and then sift in the flours and mix until smooth. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to prove for one hour [summer] and 1½-2 hours [winter].
Heat your oil to 160°C
Dip a 4 cm scoop into the oil and using a flat scoop drop them into the oil. Do not cook more than six at a time and keep tipping them over in the oil so that they are evenly browned. Re heat the syrup. Drain the cooked loukoumades on paper towel and ladle hot syrup over them. Repeat the process until they have all been cooked.
This is cook and eat…never refrigerate…never freeze…just eat and……. kiss your darling with your sticky delicious lips!
posted 6 August 2019 AO