Suspiros de monja, also called bolas de fraile, are sweet yeasted dough balls that are fried, filled with dulce de leche, and dusted with powdered sugar.
They’re a classic of Argentine bakeries for the afternoon snack.
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Argentine Fried Sugar Puffs
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 pieces
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients
- 125 g 0000 flour
- 125 g 000 flour
- 5 g dry yeast
- 50 ml of warm milk
- 1 egg
- 60 g softened butter
- 1 dessert spoon of vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- Grated lemon or orange zest
- Oil, for frying
- Dulce de leche, for filling
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Preparation
- Make the starter, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a spoonful of the recipe’s flour and let it rest for about 10 minutes in a warm, covered spot, until foamy.
- Knead, mix the flours, make a well, and add the egg, honey, vanilla, zest, and starter. Combine from the center outward, turn the dough onto the counter, add the softened butter, and knead patiently into a smooth, even dough.
- Proof and shape, cover the dough and let it rest for half an hour in a warm place. Divide it into about 12 balls of 45 g and round them by rolling under a lightly cupped hand.
- Fry, heat the oil to medium and fry the balls, turning them halfway through, until golden and cooked inside.
- Fill and dust, make a side cut without going all the way through, pipe in the dulce de leche, and dust with powdered sugar.
Tips
- The oil shouldn’t be too hot, so they don’t brown outside before cooking through.
- Turn them halfway through frying so they cook evenly.
- Use a piping bag to fill them neatly.
Traditional variations
- They can be baked at 190 °C (375 °F) for about 10 minutes and filled with pastry cream.
How to serve
Serve the suspiros de monja warm or cold, filled and dusted with powdered sugar, with mate or coffee.
Recommended pairings
- Mate
- Coffee with milk
Did you know?
In Argentina they’re known interchangeably as suspiros de monja or bolas de fraile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in Argentina both names refer to these fried, filled buns.
With dulce de leche; they can also be filled with pastry cream.
Yes, at 190 °C (375 °F) for about 10 minutes, until golden.
