Tunisian Bambalouni

Tunisian Bambalouni

Bambalouni is Tunisia’s sweet street dough: an imperfect ring, puffy and crisp at the edges, that gets its sugar the moment it comes out of the oil. The dough is much wetter than Israeli sufganiyah (doughnut) dough, so it is shaped with oiled hands, without a rolling pin.

Prep time: 25 minutes · Rising: 90 minutes · Frying: 25 minutes · Yield: 12 pieces · Difficulty: Medium

Wet hands, not more flour

A sticky dough is the key to big air pockets. Adding flour will give you a dense ring. Oil or wet your hands, pinch off a piece and open a hole in its center just before frying.

Ingredients (for 12 pieces)

• 500 g white flour
• 10 g instant dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 400–430 ml lukewarm water
• 1 tablespoon oil for the dough
• Neutral oil for frying; about 100 g absorbed was counted in the calculation
• 100 g sugar for coating

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Regular white flour works; bread flour gives a slightly chewier texture. Don’t swap frying for baking if you want traditional bambalouni. Neutral-tasting canola or sunflower oil is convenient and easy to find in Israel.

Method

1. Mix the dough. Combine the flour, yeast and sugar. Add 400 ml of the water and the oil, then the salt. Knead by wet hand or in a stand mixer for 8 minutes; the dough is sticky and soft. Add a little water if it is stiff.
2. Let it rise. Cover and let rise 75–90 minutes, until more than doubled in volume.
3. Heat the oil. Heat oil 5 cm deep to 175°C (347°F). Set out a small bowl of water and a tray of sugar.
4. Shape and fry. With wet hands, pinch off 1/12 of the dough, open a hole and stretch it into a ring. Slide it carefully into the oil and fry 2–3 minutes per side. Don’t fry more than three at a time.
5. Coat. Drain on a rack for half a minute and toss in the sugar while the ring is still hot. Let cool slightly before eating; the scalding sugar and oil can cause burns.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

The estimate assumes 100 g of absorbed oil and 100 g of sugar sticking across all 12 pieces. Frying in oil that isn’t hot enough increases absorption.

Variations and tips

• You can season the sugar with a little cinnamon, though the plain version is the classic.
• A thermometer beats testing with a scrap of dough: keep the oil at 170–180°C.
• Eat them the day they are made. To reheat, 4 minutes in a 180°C oven; not in the microwave.

Summary

Good bambalouni isn’t a perfect ring but a light dough with big holes, a crisp shell and fresh sugar. One piece is about 275 calories. For a savory Tunisian pastry, see brik.