Desserts
Potato-yeast loukoumades with spiced syrup
AI-generated serving image
This image was created with the help of artificial intelligence and serves as visual inspiration or a serving suggestion. The actual result may vary depending on the ingredients, quantities and preparation used.
Small fritters with crisp outsides and airy centres, briefly dipped in cool spiced syrup. Cooked potato in the batter is a documented Cypriot variation. This version differs from our Emirati luqaimat with date syrup.
Timing
- Preparation: about 25 minutes, including about 10 minutes during rising
- Boiling and frying: about 35 minutes; potato cooling: about 10 minutes
- Rising: about 60 minutes; syrup cools concurrently
- Total time: about 2 hours
Estimated nutrition
per serving · Calculated for 4 servings.
- Energy
- ≈ 400 kcal
- Protein
- ≈ 7.2 g
- Carbohydrates
- ≈ 66.5 g
- Fat
- ≈ 10.7 g
The nutrition values are estimates based on the ingredients and quantities used. Actual values may vary depending on the product, portion size and preparation.
Calculation basis
Item weights and household measures are estimated. Unless specified: milk with 1.5% fat, cream with 30% fat and Gouda cheese. Optional ingredients, small amounts of seasoning and separately listed side dishes are excluded. For imprecise entries, the amounts below and comparable reference products are assumed. For alternatives, the first listed ingredient is used. Cooking losses have not been measured.
Assumes 40 g absorbed frying oil and half the syrup: 75 g sugar, 125 g water and 7.5 g lemon juice for four servings. Whole spices and remaining oil and syrup are excluded. Absorption and nutrition are estimates rather than measurements.
Quantity assumptions and ingredient mapping
- 60 g peeled floury potato · ≈ 60.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 250 g plain wheat flour · ≈ 250.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 4 g instant dried yeast · ≈ 4.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 180 ml lukewarm water for the batter, added as needed · ≈ 180.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 150 g sugar · ≈ 75.0 g
- 250 ml water for the syrup · ≈ 125.0 g
- 15 ml lemon juice · ≈ 7.5 g
- 1 litre neutral oil for deep-frying, not all absorbed · ≈ 40.0 g
Matvaretabellen: Mattilsynet · Santa Maria
Food data: Max Rubner-Institut, BLS 4.0 (2025), CC BY 4.0. Calculated and rounded for this recipe. BLS 4.0 · CC BY 4.0
Ingredients
- 60 g peeled floury potato
- 250 g plain wheat flour
- 4 g instant dried yeast
- 2 g salt
- 180 ml lukewarm water for the batter, added as needed
- 150 g sugar
- 250 ml water for the syrup
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 1 cinnamon stick, about 3 g
- 2 cloves
- 1 litre neutral oil for deep-frying, not all absorbed
Instructions
- Dice potato and boil in a small pan of additional water until soft, about 12–15 minutes. Drain, mash finely and cool for about 10 minutes until lukewarm. Do not mix hot potato with yeast.
- Mix flour, yeast and salt. Beat in potato and initially 160 ml batter water. Add the remainder a spoonful at a time as needed: batter should be soft, sticky and fall slowly from a spoon rather than run like pancake batter. Beat for about 3 minutes, cover and rise for about 60 minutes until expanded and bubbly.
- Meanwhile bring sugar, 250 ml syrup water, lemon juice, cinnamon and cloves to a boil and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a shallow heatproof dish and cool completely. Remove whole spices.
- Heat oil to 175°C in a deep pan, filling it no more than halfway. Use two lightly oiled teaspoons to portion small pieces about 2–3 cm across. Fry in small batches for about 3–4 minutes each until golden, turning. Do not put wet spoons into hot oil.
- Open the first fritter: its centre should be airy and fully cooked. Drain, dip batches briefly in cooled syrup for a few seconds and lift out with a slotted spoon. Serve warm without pouring over all the remaining syrup.
Tips
- Makes about 28–32 small fritters for four dessert servings. Batter consistency matters more than the final millilitre of water because flour and potato varieties absorb differently.
- Honey is an optional extra topping, not included here. Frying oil and syrup remain over; their full quantities are not part of the eaten portion.
