This is a riff on an old Dutch recipe that Jess’ mother used to make for a special after-school treat. The word olliebollen translates literally to “oil ball” (the apple dough is fried in hot oil) and has been described as a precursor to the doughnut. In Holland, olliebollen are a seasonal sweet, enjoyed in the new year, but when the Dutch came to these shores, they became more of a year-round goodie. We’ve further adapted them to this land by replacing the traditional raisins and currants with dried cranberries. We think the tart pop of the native cranberry suits the recipe better than the sweetness of raisins, but use your discretion, or experiment with what seems best to you.
FOR THE DOUGH
½ cup milk
¼ cup butter
¼ cup sugar
1 package active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup tart apple, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon grated lemon peel, or use a small citrus zester to make longer strips of lemon peel from 1 medium lemon
2/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
Sunflower or avocado oil, for frying
FOR THE TOPPING
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Scald the milk in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add the butter and ¼ cup sugar. Stir until the butter is melted and set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast on the surface of the warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes to rehydrate and awaken the yeast. Whisk the cooled milk mixture into the yeast slurry.
In another bowl, combine the flour with the salt, cinnamon and lemon peel. Add ½ of the flour mixture to the liquid yeast mixture, beating until well-blended.
Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the remaining flour mixture and blend well. Stir in the apples and cranberries.
Cover the bowl and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1¼ hours. Dough should be spongy and moist.
When the dough has risen, pour 2 inches of oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and heat to 350° F.
Lower heaping tablespoonfuls of the spongy dough into the boiling oil, 3 or 4 at a time. Cook the blobs, turning once, until a rich golden brown color develops.
Remove the olliebollen from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on paper towels for a brief moment, while you get the next few balls into the fryer. While the dough is still warm but no longer draining oil, roll the fried dough shapes in the topping mixture, composed of both powdered and granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
These are loveliest when still warm from the oil, but they can also be eaten cold for breakfast or frozen and reheated for 10 minutes in a 400° F oven. Makes 12-15 olliebollen.
About the author
Amber Turpin is a freelance food and travel writer based in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Jessica Tunis lives in the Santa Cruz Mountains and spends her time tending gardens, telling stories, and cultivating adventure and good food in wild places.
