Loukoumades are Greek donuts made with flour, salt, and honey syrup. They originated in ancient Greece and were awarded to Olympic athletes. Loukoumades are fried and served with honey-cinnamon syrup. Similar desserts include gulab jamun and jalebi from India.
Loukoumades are Greek donuts that are round and golden in appearance. Made with flour and salt and seasoned with honey syrup and cinnamon, they are very popular in Greek cuisine. The dessert first originated in ancient Greece, where they were called “honey tokens” and were awarded to winning Olympic athletes. Pasta was first recorded in writing by the poet Callimachus, making it one of the oldest recorded desserts in Greek history. There are many versions of loukoumades today, including gulab jamun and jalebi.
Greek pastry is made by first combining flour and salt. The yeast is then dissolved in warm water and a pit is made in the center of the flour mixture where it is poured until the dough is malleable and sticky. The dough is left to rest and, once doubled in size, is ready to be fried in hot oil in a deep fryer. To achieve the round shape, a small amount of the dough is placed in the palm of a hand and is shaped into a ball before being placed in the oil. This process continues until the entire dough mixture is used; when the shortbread balls float to the top of the oil and appear golden in color, they’re ready to drizzle with the syrup.
While there are variations in the recipes, loukoumades are usually served with honey-cinnamon syrup. To make honey syrup, water, honey, and sugar are combined and brought to a boil. The syrup is then poured over the loukoumades and cinnamon is sprinkled on top. Loukoumades are usually served hot.
There are different versions of loukoumades in many parts of the world. In countries like India and Nepal, a dessert called gulab jamun is made by combining powdered milk and flour as well as milk and butter until dough balls are produced, which are then cooked in hot oil. Similar to loukoumades, gulab jamun is served with syrup which is generally made by combining sugar and rose water together. Another popular fried pastry dessert from India is jalebi. Jalebi takes a little longer than gulab jamun due to its pretzel-like appearance, and is often served on festive occasions such as Diwali celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs.
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