Dutch Oliebollen

My mom moved to Canada from Holland when she was 11. One of the cherished recipes she brought with her from her Dutch heritage was Oliebollen—fried dough filled with cranberries, raisins and apples (there are many variations). We absolutely loved it, and it became a Christmas tradition in our home. Now, I’m thrilled to share this delicious treat with others, keeping a piece of our family’s history alive for everyone to enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. yeast

• 3 cups warm water

• 3 tbsp. white sugar

• 5 cups flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 3 eggs

• 2 cups chopped dried cranberries

• 1 cup raisins

• 3 apples, cut into pieces

• 2 tbsp. brown sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 5-7 cups Canola oil (for frying)

• Icing sugar (for garnish)

Instructions:

• Combine the yeast, 1 cup of your warm water and white sugar. Cover and let the yeast activate for 8-10 minutes.

• Combine 4 1/2 cups of your flour (sifted), salt, eggs and the remaining 2 cups of warm water. Add the yeast mixture to this, which should now be active. Cover and let rise for about 20 minutes.

• Toss the cranberries, raisins and apples in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour.

• Add your coated cranberries, raisins and apple to the mixture. Add the cinnamon and brown sugar. Stir everything through gently and let rise for another hour. The mixture should double in volume.

• Fry in fresh canola oil at 350-360 until golden brown. This will need to be completed in batches by ladling 5-6 small scoops of the mixture at a time. As batches are finished, remove them to a paper towel lined plate and dust with icing sugar.

TIP: use a metal spoon pre-dipped in hot oil to ladle your batter for easier transfer.

NOTE: The amount of oil required will depend on your frying setup but 5-7 cups.

Here's what we listened to:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/57ZqtwFc4xweGZQDZq6VaI?si=gSo1xggkRwqVkzz40tZm0w