Tulumba

5 from 1 vote

Tulumba is a Turkish syrup-soaked fried dough dessert made with choux-style pastry. The dough is piped into cold oil, fried until crisp, and dipped in cold syrup while still hot.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Greek, Iranian, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet: Halal, Low Lactose, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 344kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

For the Syrup

2 cups water (480 ml)
2 ¼ cups sugar (450 g)
2-3 drops freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the Choux Pastry

2 cups water (480 ml)
⅓ cup vegetable oil (80 ml)
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ¼ cups plain white flour / all-purpose flour (390 grams)
3 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon corn or wheat starch
2 cups vegetable or sunflower oil for frying

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Syrup

Place the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Let it simmer for 15 minutes, then add the lemon juice just before removing it from the heat.
Set the syrup aside and let it cool completely while you prepare the dough.

Prepare the Choux Pastry

Place the water, sugar, salt, and ⅓ cup / 80 ml vegetable oil in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Once it boils, add the flour all at once and stir continuously until the dough comes together without dry patches or lumps.
Remove the dough from the saucepan and let it cool until it is warm but no longer hot enough to burn your hands.
Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition before adding the next.
Add the vanilla, white wine vinegar, and starch, then mix again until the dough is smooth, thick, and pipeable.
Transfer the dough to a strong piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle, about 1 inch / 2 to 3 cm wide.

Fry the Tulumba

Pour the vegetable or sunflower oil into a deep saucepan. The oil should be cold before you start piping.
Pipe the dough directly into the cold oil, cutting each piece with scissors to about 2 inches / 5 cm long. Leave some space between the pieces as they will expand.
Place the saucepan over low heat and let the tulumba fry slowly until they puff up and double in size. Don’t move them at this stage.
After about 40 minutes, when the pieces start to take on color, increase the heat to medium. Fry for another 15 minutes, or until golden, crisp, and evenly browned.
Lift the fried tulumba from the oil and let the excess oil drain for a few seconds. Transfer them straight into the cold syrup and let them soak for 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove from the syrup and place on a serving plate. Garnish with ground nuts or desiccated coconut if you like.
If frying a second batch, let the oil cool completely before piping more dough.

Video

Notes

Make the syrup first and let it cool completely before frying the tulumba.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Use a strong piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle for the ridged shape.
Always pipe the dough into cold oil. This helps the tulumba expand, puff up, and keep its shape.
Don’t move the pieces too early while frying, as they can lose their shape.
Transfer the fried tulumba to cold syrup while they are still hot, but drain the excess oil first.
Soak them in syrup for 3 to 4 minutes only. Leaving them too long can soften the outside.
Let the oil cool completely before frying another batch.
Tulumba is best on the day it is made, but leftovers can be kept lightly covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Nutrition