Sonhos (Portuguese Sweet Dough Balls)
- ★★
- ★★
- ★★
- ★★
- ★★
Recipe Intro From lusolifemag
These delicious Portuguese treats, known as sonhos, are sweet dough balls inspired by the kitchen of Avó Maria Esteves. Perfect for snack time, these fluffy bites feature creamy butternut squash, sugar, and a hint of cinnamon. Enjoy them rolled in a sugar-cinnamon mixture for an irresistible sweet finish!
- Recipe Card
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tabelspoons granulated sugar
- 4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour, adjusted as needed
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
- Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
- Ground cinnamon, for dusting
Method
Step 1
Place the cubed squash in a pot with a small amount of water and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender.
Step 2
Once cooked, drain any excess water and let the squash cool completely. Using a hand mixer, puree the cooled squash until smooth. This step can be done in advance or even the night before for convenience.
Step 3
In a mixing bowl, add the eggs to the squash puree. Follow with the sugar and mix well.
Step 4
Gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour until the dough reaches a consistency similar to a thick batter; the amount of flour will vary depending on the size of the squash.
Step 5
In a deep frying pan, heat enough vegetable oil over medium heat to submerge the dough balls.
Step 6
Once the oil is hot, use a small spoon to drop spoonfuls of the dough into the hot oil. Fry the dough balls for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown on all sides.
Step 7
After frying, use a slotted spoon to transfer the sonhos to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
Step 8
In a small bowl, mix together the confectioner’s sugar and ground cinnamon.
Step 9
While still warm, roll each fried sonho individually in the sugar-cinnamon mixture until well coated. Transfer the coated sonhos to a serving plate.