Pumpkin fritters (buñuelos) and sweet potato hot thick chocolate

Pumpkin fritters (buñuelos), fluffy inside and crispy outside. They tear beautifully and they’re perfect to dunk in my sweet potato thick chocolate.


Hola!

Today I bring you pumpkin fritters (buñuelos) and sweet potato hot thick chocolate. These fritters are fluffy inside and crispy outside. They tear beautifully and they’re perfect to dunk in hot chocolate. My recipe makes such a thick, lush chocolate to dip your fritters in, and I used sweet potato to thicken it, instead of the most commonly used starches. This is such a treat for merienda.

Buñuelos are typical to eat in Fallas, the festivities from Valencia celebrated in March. They sell them in food stalls that are installed only for this time of the year, and you have to get your hot chocolate to go with. 

PLANT POWER, MAKE UP!

I wanted to veganise buñuelos recipe since day one. I actually tried a year prior and failed miserably. To veganise it, the only thing I omitted from the original recipe is eggs, and I haven’t noticed any difference. I’ve seen some recipes using baking powder to make them crispy outside, so I included that. I also used a bit of wholewheat flour to add in some fibre.

The hot chocolate is simply with an alternative milk. If you go to Spain, most of the hot chocolate you can order is made with a mix that has milk powder. I was utterly disappointed when I went to Madrid and my partner and I couldn’t try it. But now, I can make my own!


PUMPKIN FRITTERS (BUÑUELOS) AND SWEET POTATO HOT CHOCOLATE


Makes: 16 buñuelos
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes


INGREDIENTS

Buñuelos:
7g dried yeast (one sachet)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 + 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup white flour
2/3 cup wholewheat flour
1L sunflower oil to fry
Sugar to coat

For the hot chocolate (2 cups):
300g sweet potato, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
A couple of chocolate pieces
1 cup plant milk
Maple syrup


INSTRUCTIONS

To make the buñuelos:

  1. Mix the yeast, baking powder and pumpkin puree. Add the flour little by little and keep stirring until there aren't any lumps. Work the batter for 5-10 minutes to develop some gluten.
  2. Prove it at room temperature until it doubles its volume (1 hour for me), or leave in the fridge overnight.
  3. Heat the oil in a frying pan at a medium-high. Prepare a little bowl with water in it. With your left hand, always, grab a handful of batter and squeeze your fist to make a bubble between your index finger and thumb. Put your right hand in water, scrape the bubble with your four fingers and make a hole with your right thumb, then drop it carefully in the hot oil and fry on both sides. Repeat this for every fritter. It's important to keep your left hand for the batter and your right hand always in water before taking another one. Fry 3-4 at a time or the oil temperature will drop.
  4. Put them on a plate with kitchen roll to soak up the oil and drop them into a plate with sugar to coat both sides before eating.

I would recommend eating them while still warm, but they can also be eaten cold.

To make the chocolate:

  1. Microwave the sweet potato for 5 minutes, turn around the pieces and microwave for another 5 minutes or until fully cooked and soft. Let it cool down slightly and mash the pulp in a bowl with the back of a fork.
  2. Add the cocoa powder and mix well. Add the chocolate pieces and melt again in the microwave (no more than 30s at a time or it'll burn). 
  3. Add the milk and maple syrup to taste. Blend if you want it very smooth and add more milk if you like it runnier.

Bon profit!