Sopaipillas

Ingredients

• 2 cups standard flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• pinch salt
• 30gm unsalted Butter
• 1 teaspoon dried yeast
• ¼ cup warm water (about 45C)
• ½ milk (pre heated and cooled to room temperature)
• oil for deep frying - canola or sunflower is recommended
• caster sugar and ground cinnamon for dusting

Method

Place the sieved flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.

Cut the cold butter into cubes and mix this into the flour with your hands until it has been combined (the finished product should look like oats).

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a small bowl and add the milk. Stir well.

Add about ¼ cup of the water and milk mixture to the dry ingredients and work into the dough. Slowly pour in the remaining liquid while working the dough continuously until it is springy and holds its shape.

Knead the dough for a further five minutes until it is smooth, firm and elastic in texture. Place the dough into a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel.

Allow the dough to rest for a minimum of ten minutes.

Roll the dough out into a slab approximately 2cm thick. Cut this slab into small triangles or squares.

Fry the squares in hot oil (about 160c) for approximately 4 - 5 minutes. Each square should puff up immediately once it is placed in the oil and become hollow inside.

Remove the fried squares from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Dust the squares with a mixture of sugar and ground cinnamon while still warm and serve immediately.

Alternatively the sopaipillas can be served with a honey and rosemary syrup.