Buñuelos are first known to have been consumed among Spain'sMorisco population. They typically consist of a simple, wheat-basedyeastdough, often flavored withanise, that is thinly rolled, cut or shaped into individual pieces, thenfried and finished off with a sweet topping. Buñuelos may be filled with a variety of things, sweet or savory. They can be round in ball shapes or disc-shaped. In Latin America, buñuelos are seen as a symbol of good luck.[3]
"Buñuelo" and all other variations of the word inSpanish derive from theOld Spanish*boño orbonno, which itself derives from the GermanicGothic language*𐌱𐌿𐌲𐌲𐌾𐍉 (*buggjō, "lump"), and ultimately fromProto-Indo-European*bʰenǵʰ- (thick, dense, fat).
Thebeignet, which is aFrench cuisine dough fritter similar to the buñuelo, is etymologically cognate and derives its name via the GermanicFrankish language.Beignet has been borrowed into English via French.
Dough fritters are known inMediterranean cuisine from the work ofCato the Elder who included a recipe with the name "balloons" in his bookDe Agri Cultura, which was written in the second century BC. In that recipe, flour and cheese balls were fried and served with a spread made ofhoney andpoppy seeds.[5][6]
A 19th-century recipe from California, described aspasta de freir (dough to fry), is made by folding whippedegg whites into a mixture of flour, water, sugar, oil, andorange blossom water. This is used as a batter to fryapples or other fruit. A variation calledsuspiros de monjas (nun's sighs) includes butter and egg yolks.Buñuelos de Valparaiso are garnished withwalnuts andsherry ormaraschino flavoredsimple syrup.[7]
InSpain, buñuelos are a dessert and snack typical in many autonomous communities and, especially, during their regional holidays. Each territory incorporates its own ingredients and its own traditions. One of the best known is thebuñuelo de viento ('wind buñuelo'), a species offritter.
InCatalonia, they are consumed mostly duringLent.[8] The most famous are those of wind, cream and Brunyols de l'Empordà. They are usually eaten as a snack or to accompany coffee after lunch. In some regions of Spain, buñuelos find a strong competitor inchurros, which are increasingly widespread at parties normally associated with buñuelos. On the other hand, in Catalonia, churros are primarily consumed by tourists; Catalans prefer thexuixos orchuchos in churrerías or the buñuelos in their multiple forms in bakeries or in houses.
InValencia, the highest consumption is concentrated in festivities such asFallas de Valencia, where pumpkin buñuelos are made.
In theBalearic Islands, there are sweet fritters for different parties of the year (Las Vírgenes, Todos los Santos, Lent, etc.) and, depending on the occasion, they can contain potato or sweet potato,Mahón cheese, dried figs, etc.[9]
InMadrid andAndalusia, they are consumed with special assiduity during the Festival of Saints, during which it was customary for women to prepare them in the houses and sell them or give them to neighbors, especially in thevillages.
InColombia, they are made with a small curd white cheese and formed into doughy balls, then fried golden brown. They use cassava flour and cornmeal instead of wheat.[10] It is a traditionalChristmas dish, served along withnatillas andmanjar blanco.
InCuba, they are traditionally twisted in a figure 8 and covered in ananisecaramel. The dough containscassava andmalanga.
In theDominican Republic, buñuelos are rolled into balls from a dough made of cassava (called yuca) and eggs. They are then covered in a cinnamon sugar syrup, often using coconut milk instead of water.
InNicaragua, buñuelos are made from cassava, eggs, and white grating cheese. The buñuelos are rolled into balls and deep-fried. They are served alongside a syrup made of sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. They are eaten year-round and are a typical side dish or snack served during holidays.
In thePhilippines, buñuelos (also calledbunwelos,bunuelos,binowilos, etc.) can be shaped like a ball, a pancake, a cylinder, or even adoughnut. They are commonly eaten withtsokolate, the localhot chocolate drink.[11][12][13] There are also unique local variants of buñuelos, the most common iscascaron (alsobitsu-bitsu) which is made with groundglutinous rice (galapong) rather than regular flour. Another variant isbunwelos na saging, which is made with mashedbananas added into the mixture, similar tomaruya, a Filipino banana fritter.[14][15][16]
InPuerto Rico, buñuelos are small and round. The dough is often made with milk, baking powder, sugar, eggs, and a starch.Apio, cornmeal, cassava, chickpeas,almond flour, rice, squash, sweet potatoes, taro, potatoes, yams, ripebreadfruit, and sweet plantains are some of the starches used. There are more than twenty buñuelos recipes in Puerto Rico. Often rolled in cornstarch before frying or fried just as. Recipes have been written in Puerto Rican cuisine scenes of the 19th century. They are often filled with cheese and ham for breakfast. They are popular around Christmas and are served in anis flavored syrup. Lemon peel, rum, guava, cinnamon, and vanilla can also be added to the syrup.
InPeru, buñuelos resemblepicarones in shape (round and ring-shaped) but lack yams or squashes as in picarones. Made of flour, water, sugar, anise, and yeast, they are served with a sweet syrup made ofchancaca (sugar cane-derived sweet). They are a common street food native toArequipa.
InItaly, they are usually served with cream, and popular during Carnival time, in particular in the North-East of the country.
InUruguay, sweet buñuelos are made with apples and bananas and covered in sugar. Salty variations are traditionally made of spinach, cow fat, andseaweed. Seaweed buñuelos are considered a delicacy inRocha Department.
InSephardic Jewish cuisine,bimuelos (alsobumuelos orbinuelos) are traditionally made from yeasted wheat dough and covered in a honey glaze, sometimes with orange flavour.[18][19]Sephardic Jews inTurkey traditionally make buñuelos withmatzo meal and eat them duringPassover.[20]
InEl Salvador, the traditional version of buñuelos are known asnuégados. They are fried dough fritters often made with yuca (cassava), giving them a distinctive texture and flavor. After frying, they are bathed in a rich syrup made from panela (unrefined cane sugar) and spiced with cinnamon sticks. Nuégados are traditionally served with chilate, a hot corn-based beverage flavored with ginger, and are especially popular during Holy Week and other festive occasions. Variations includenuégados de maíz (made with corn dough),nuégados de huevo (made with eggs),nuégados de guineo (made with bananas), andnuégados boca de cántaro, a specialty from Atiquizaya shaped like the mouth of a pitcher and coated in panela syrup.
^After Cato's, the first known recipe for a dough for donuts seems to be the collection by Apicio, in his workDe re coquinaria, in the first century of the Christian era.
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