Loukoumades (Greek Doughnuts)

• • 1 kg Village flour
• • 1 teaspoon salt
• • 3 teaspoons (11g) dry yeast
• • 2 sachets vanilla
• • ½ small coffee cup (50 ml) rose water
• • 5 cups (1250ml) lukewarm water

For the syrup

• • 1 kg sugar
• • 3 ½ cups (875ml) water
• • 1 small cinnamon stick
• • 8-10 cloves
• • ½ small coffee cup (50 ml) rose water

Prepare the syrup first:

1. 1. In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
2. 2. Stir until the sugar dissolves, lower the heat, and boil for only 5 minutes, no more.
3. 3. Turn off the heat and add the rose water. Stir and let the syrup cool down.

For the batter:

1. 1. Place the flour in a large bowl, add the salt, and mix. Add the yeast and vanilla and mix. Pour in the rose water and gradually add the water, while beating with your palms until a fluffy batter forms, about 5 minutes. You will see bubbles forming on the surface. Set it aside for 1 to 1 ½ hours to rise and double in volume. To know the mixture is ready, you will see large bubbles form on the surface.
2. 2. Put plenty of oil in a wide saucepan or frying pan and let it get very hot. Pour some oil into a small cup.
3. 3. Lower the heat (if it's too high, the loukoumades will burn on the outside and be raw inside). With your left palm, scoop up some batter. Close your fingers and use a small spoon dipped in the cup of oil to cut off the excess batter hanging out and drop it into the hot oil, pushing the batter off the spoon with your thumb. Repeat this until the pan is full of loukoumades. Dip the spoon in the oil every so often. This helps the batter not to stick to the spoon.
4. 4. Increase the heat and turn the loukoumades with a slotted spoon until they are nicely browned. Press them down occasionally. Take them out and place them in the cold syrup.
5. 5. Turn them over and press them down into the syrup for about 1-2 minutes. Take them out onto a strainer to drain the excess syrup, and then serve.