Loukoumades (Greek Honey Doughnuts)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the lukewarm water, sugar, and yeast together. Let it sit for 8-10 minutes until the surface turns foamy — if it doesn't foam, the yeast is dead and you'll need a fresh batch.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour and salt together, then pour in the yeast mixture and the olive oil.
3. Whisk vigorously for 2-3 minutes until you have a smooth, thick, sticky batter with no lumps — it should be closer to a very thick pancake batter than a kneadable dough, and that's correct; do not add extra flour to firm it up.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set it in a warm, draft-free spot for about 1 hour, until the batter has roughly doubled and looks bubbly on top.
5. While the batter rises, make the syrup: combine the honey, water, sugar, and cinnamon stick (if using) in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the cinnamon stick, and let the syrup cool to warm — it should not be hot when the fried dough hits it.
6. About 20 minutes before frying, pour the frying oil into a deep, heavy pot to a depth of at least 2 inches (5cm) and heat it over medium heat to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer if you have one; if not, a small drop of batter should sizzle and rise to the surface within a couple of seconds.
7. Once the oil is hot, wet your hand or oil a tablespoon measure, scoop up a rounded portion of batter about the size of a walnut, and let it drop or slide off your fingers directly into the oil. Re-wet or re-oil your hand/spoon between each scoop so the batter releases cleanly.
8. Fry in batches of 6-8, without crowding the pot, turning the loukoumades gently with a slotted spoon so they color evenly. They're done in about 2-3 minutes total, once they're a deep golden brown all over and have puffed and floated.
9. Lift the fried loukoumades out with a slotted spoon and drain them briefly on a wire rack set over a tray (a rack keeps them crisper than paper towels, which trap steam underneath).
10. Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches before adding the next round, and repeat until all the batter is fried.
11. While the loukoumades are still warm, either drop them straight into the warm syrup for a few seconds and lift them out, or arrange them on a serving plate and spoon the syrup generously over the top — both methods are traditional, and the spoon-over method keeps them a bit crisper.
12. Dust with ground cinnamon and scatter the chopped walnuts and sesame seeds, if using, over the top.
13. Serve immediately while the outside is still warm and crisp.