Picarones con Miel

Preparation To make the infused honey, use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest (with no pith) from the orange in wide strips; set aside the fruit for another use. Combine the orange zest with the honey, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and star anise in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Take the pan off the heat and allow the honey to steep for 1 hour. Strain the honey, cover, and store at room temperature until needed. To make the picarones, combine the yeast with the warm water in a small bowl and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes until foamy. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the sugar, egg, pumpkin purée, and salt and mix on medium speed until well combined. Slowly add the flour, about one-half cup at a time. Continue to mix at medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry work surface, cover it with a clean, dry kitchen towel, and leave it to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Heat the oil to 350°F in a stockpot, using a candy or deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough with your fists, deflating it enough to handle and portion it into 16 equal balls. Roll each ball into a 6-inch rope (3 inches in diameter) and press the ends together to form a ring. Let the rings rest for 10 minutes. Fry the rings in batches, turning once, until crispy and golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the picarones with confectioners' sugar and serve hot, with the infused honey drizzled over the top or in a bowl for dipping. Reprinted with permission from The Latin Road Home by Jose Garces, © 2012 Lake Isle Press

Preparation To make the infused honey, use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest (with no pith) from the orange in wide strips; set aside the fruit for another use. Combine the orange zest with the honey, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and star anise in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Take the pan off the heat and allow the honey to steep for 1 hour. Strain the honey, cover, and store at room temperature until needed. To make the picarones, combine the yeast with the warm water in a small bowl and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes until foamy. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the sugar, egg, pumpkin purée, and salt and mix on medium speed until well combined. Slowly add the flour, about one-half cup at a time. Continue to mix at medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry work surface, cover it with a clean, dry kitchen towel, and leave it to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Heat the oil to 350°F in a stockpot, using a candy or deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough with your fists, deflating it enough to handle and portion it into 16 equal balls. Roll each ball into a 6-inch rope (3 inches in diameter) and press the ends together to form a ring. Let the rings rest for 10 minutes. Fry the rings in batches, turning once, until crispy and golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the picarones with confectioners' sugar and serve hot, with the infused honey drizzled over the top or in a bowl for dipping. Reprinted with permission from The Latin Road Home by Jose Garces, © 2012 Lake Isle Press