Originally uploaded by Terracidus



Olie Bollen (literally translates as 'oil balls') are small round Dutch doughnuts. It is a traditional food usually serve on New Year's Eve in Holland. The Dutch regularly stud their Olie Bollen dough with raisins, currants or even finely diced apples.

Ingredients:
1 envelope dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup warm water, divided
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all purpose flour
3 cups fruit (diced fresh apples, raisins or dried currants)
oil for frying
confectioner's sugar for dusting


Makes 48

Pour 1/2 cup warm water, about 50°C., into the bowl of a large food processor.
Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water and mix at low speed.
Let stand for five minutes.

Slowly mix in remaining water, eggs, vanilla and salt.
Slowly add flour a cup at a time.
Mix on high for about a minute or two.
The dough should turn into a ball and roll around the processor.
If the dough does not ball up because it's to dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does.
If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Mix in fruit.
Remove fromfood processor. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large skillet.
Punch down dough.
Roll the dough into small balls, about 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter.
Drop dough balls into hot oil, fryinguntil goldenbrown, turning as needed.

Drain on paper towels and dust withconfectioner's sugar. Serve hot.