Ingredients

Method

• 30 g fresh yeast (or 2 t dry yeast)
• 1 t sugar
• a pinch salt
• 2 cups warm water
• 360 g flour
• canola oil, for deep-frying
• For the syrup:
• 3 T honey
• 100 g sugar
• ½ cup water
• ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

Method

Ingredients

1. Mix the yeast, sugar and salt with 1 cup water. Allow to stand until frothy (about 10 minutes). Add the remaining water and the flour to make a soft dough. If it’s too soft, add a little more flour. Allow to stand for about 20 minutes in a warm place to rise.

2. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Drop tablespoons of mixture into the hot oil and deep-fry until golden, keeping the oil over a medium heat. Take care when frying as they may splatter. Drain on kitchen paper.

3. To make the syrup, boil all the ingredients until sticky. Spoon the syrup over the burmwelos and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve immediately.

Cook's note: My friend Sara Benetar recently shared her late mother’s recipe for burmwelos with me. Donna Benetar was renowned in the Cape Town Sephardic community for her cooking.

Find more sweet treat recipes here.

Photographs: Toby Murphy
Production: Brita Du Plessis
Food assistant: Nicola Naude