Dutch Oliebollen (Oil balls/ Donuts) Linda Williamson's
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 or 3 large grocery store paper bags
  • 2 or 3 plastic grocery bags
  • Oil for deep frying (I've always used vegetable oil but now w/ GMO's tainting most veg. oil other opt.'s should be explored)
  • Powdered sugar for coating
  • Powdered sugar or reg sugar and cinnamon for coating
  • 1-2 Cups peeled and diced tart/sweet pie apples (Granny Smith, Cortland ect)
  • 2-3 TBLS Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 2-3 TBS Light brown sugar
  • 1/2 C lukewarm water
  • 2 pkgs Active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp reg sugar
  • 4 Cups all purpose flour
  • 1 TBS sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Cups Milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1-2 tsps vanilla
  • Opt: 1/2- 1 tsp Cardamon
  • 1- 1 1/2 Cups Dehydrated cranberries/crasins (or any dehydrated fruit)
DIRECTIONS
  1. Fry apples slightly in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon put in fridge to set till your ready for it
  2. Dough:
  3. Mix the 1 tsp sugar into lukewarm water add yeast stir Let set in warm place for 'bout 10 mins it should start to foam/ bubble if its working stir again
  4. Add flour, 1 TBS sugar and optional cardamon to lg bowl stir in well if using it and create a well in the center
  5. Add eggs and yeast mix
  6. Heat milk vanilla, salt to lukewarm
  7. Add 1/2 the milk to well and begin stirring and folding just until moistened
  8. Add remaining milk crasins and apples stir until mixed don't stir too much
  9. Cover w/ wet towel and let double in warm place 'bout 45 min's to an hour
  10. While its rising begin to put together your assembly line:
  11. Put 1 paper bag into 1 plastic bag (the donuts are greasy and get all over the paper bags so the plastic stops it from making a greasy mess)
  12. 1 for each coating
  13. In 1st one put just powdered sugar in the paper bag in the 2nd put a mix of either powdered sugar or regular sugar and cinnamon
  14. Put Oil in deep fryer
  15. On a counter near the stove line a cookie sheet w/ paper towels (not too close to stove of course)
  16. Get out 2 tablespoons (or ice cream scoop)
  17. Place 2 more cookie sheets lined w/ paper towels on the table
  18. Heat the grease to 375- 385F
  19. To make the donuts:
  20. Have the adult who knows about prevention and control of grease fires make the donuts!
  21. You have to be a bit ambidexterous to do this part smoothly LOL
  22. Dip both spoons in hot grease quickly dip 1 spoon into batter and use other spoon to shape and roll the balls into the grease (or use ice cream scoop)
  23. Don't overcrowd the pan
  24. Cook 'till lightly browned on all sides flipping if you have to
  25. Remove from grease w/ slotted spoon onto paper towel lined baking sheet
  26. Have an older child use more paper towels to pat them dry a lil then put them in coating bags
  27. Show the lil'r ones how to close the tops and shake shake shake :)
  28. Have the artistic one pull them out of bags and arrange onto the cookie sheets (or pretty platters) on the table
  29. Have fun and Happy New Yr!
RECIPE BACKSTORY
A Dutch New Yrs tradition. A quote from The Dutch Baker's Daughter (http://www.thedutchbakersdaughter.com/2011/01/oliebollen-new-years-eve-tradition.html) tells us a story behind this tradition: "They are said to have been first eaten by Germanic tribes in the Netherlands during the Yule, the period between December 26 and January 6. The Germanic goddess Perchta, together with evil spirits, would fly through the mid-winter sky. To appease these spirits, food was offered, much of which contained deep-fried dough. It was said Perchta would try to cut open the bellies of all she came across, but because of the fat in the oliebollen, her sword would slide off the body of whoever ate them." But traditions are meant to keep family doing things together. This recipe is good for that and can be done assembly line fashion so even younger ones can help :) Traditionally this recipe uses apples raisins and currents. I use apples and dehydrated cranberries/ craisins. But I'm sure any dehydrated fruit will work. I usually make 2 batches. 1 w/out cardamon and 1 w/ cardamon