Sonhos

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Deep heavy-bottomed pot for frying
• •Cooking thermometer
• •Slotted spoon
• •Wooden spoon
• •Wide shallow bowl for cinnamon sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the choux base

   In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Set over medium heat and stir until the butter melts completely. The moment it reaches a full rolling boil, remove from heat immediately. Timing matters here. If you let it boil too long, you lose water to evaporation and your proportions shift.

   The lemon zest is not optional. It lifts everything, cuts through the richness of the fried dough. Avó Leonor's sonhos always had that bright note.
2. 2

   Add the flour

   Add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Return the pan to low heat and keep stirring. The dough will come together into a ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan. Keep stirring for another minute or two until a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan. This dries out the dough slightly, which is what you want. It should look smooth and slightly shiny.

3. 3

   Incorporate the eggs

   Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes. You don't want to cook the eggs when you add them. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. After the first egg, the dough will look like a disaster, broken and slimy. Keep mixing. By the fourth egg, you should have a thick, glossy paste that falls from the spoon in a heavy ribbon. If you lift the spoon and the dough forms a V shape that slowly droops, you're there.

   Room temperature eggs incorporate better. Cold eggs can seize the warm dough and make it harder to achieve the right consistency.
4. 4

   Prepare the cinnamon sugar

   Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a wide shallow bowl. Set it near your frying station. You'll need to roll the sonhos while they're still warm, so have everything ready.

5. 5

   Heat the oil

   Pour oil into a deep, heavy pot to a depth of about 8cm. Heat to 170°C (340°F). Use a thermometer. The temperature matters. Too hot and they brown before the inside cooks through. Too cool and they absorb oil and turn heavy. You want them to puff and float, turning golden slowly over about 3 minutes per batch.

   Traditionally these are fried in azeite, olive oil, which gives them a subtle richness. Vegetable oil works too and has a higher smoke point, making temperature control easier for beginners.
6. 6

   Fry the sonhos

   Using two spoons, drop rounded tablespoons of dough into the hot oil, working in batches of 5 or 6. Don't crowd the pan. The sonhos will sink, then rise to the surface as they puff. They'll turn themselves as they cook, but help them along with a slotted spoon to ensure even browning. Fry until deep golden all over, about 3 to 4 minutes total. They should feel light when you lift them.

7. 7

   Coat in cinnamon sugar

   Lift the sonhos from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper. While still warm, roll them in the cinnamon sugar, coating generously. The warmth helps the sugar stick. Transfer to a serving platter. Repeat with remaining dough, adjusting oil temperature between batches if needed.

8. 8

   Serve immediately

   Pile the sonhos on a platter and serve while still warm. They're best within an hour of frying, when the outside is still slightly crisp and the inside is pillowy. By the next day they soften, which is fine but not the same. At Christmas, they disappear long before that's a concern.

Chef Tips

• •Portuguese cinnamon (canela) is Ceylon cinnamon, sweeter and more delicate than the cassia cinnamon common elsewhere. It makes a difference in the coating. Look for it at Portuguese grocers or order online.
• •Test your oil temperature with a tiny bit of dough. It should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface within seconds. If it browns instantly, the oil is too hot. If it sits at the bottom, too cool.
• •Some families add a splash of aguardente or brandy to the dough for extra flavor and a slightly crispier texture. Avó Leonor added a tablespoon. I won't tell if you don't.
• •Leftover sonhos can be refreshed briefly in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes, but honestly, make only what you'll eat. These are meant to be devoured fresh.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be made up to 2 hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature. Do not refrigerate, as cold dough fries poorly.
• •Sonhos are best fried and served immediately. They cannot be made ahead successfully. Plan your timing so they come out of the oil close to when you want to serve them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 28g)