Touloubakia (Deep fried syrup pastries)

Ingredients

• 4 cups
• 2 cups Margarine (unsalted)
• 8 Eggs
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 3/4 cups Water
• To make the syrup, we need:
• 3 cups Sugar
• 3 cups Water
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• Greek Olive Oil for frying

Directions

We put in a saucepan the water, and the margarine. Stir over medium heat, until it melts.

Then we add the flour, salt, sugar and keep stirring, until they turn golden. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Put this mixture into a mixer’s bowl and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the baking soda, the eggs, one at a time and continue beating, until a soft dough forms. Make sure that the first egg is absorbed before adding the next.

We put the dough into a pastry bag with a large star tip.

In the meantime we prepare the syrup: Put in a medium saucepan the water, sugar and cinnamon stick and boil for about 6-7 minutes. Then we add the honey and stir, until it melts. Leave the saucepan over very low heat, in order to keep the syrup warm.

In a deep pot, we heat plenty of olive oil and when hot, using the pastry bag squeeze out pieces of dough, about 2 inches long into the hot oil. We can use a scissor to cut the end of each log. Continue this process, until we have used up all the dough.

We fry them, until golden and then remove using a slotted spoon, onto a platter lined with paper towel to drain excess oil.

When they are well drained, drop them, a few at a time, into the warm syrup and allow them to absorb, for about 6-7 minutes. Remove the “touloubakia” onto a wire rack and let them drain for 2-3 minutes. Put them onto a platter, allow them to cool slightly and then serve.