Samoan Panikeke
Sweet Samoan doughnuts of banana-scented batter dropped into hot oil, where they puff into round balls with crisp shells. Getting the oil temperature right is the whole game, since too cool leaves them greasy and too hot leaves them raw inside.
- Prep15 min
- Cook20 min
- Total45 min
- Serves8
AI-generated illustration
Contains:dairyegggluten
Ingredients
Method
- Mash the very ripe bananas to a smooth puree with no firm lumps; bananas heavily spotted with black are what give panikeke their flavor and color.
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Beat the mashed bananas with the large eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla extract, then stir this into the dry ingredients until just combined. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon; let it rest 10 minutes.
- Pour the vegetable oil into a deep heavy pot to a depth of 3 inches (7.6 cm), leaving at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) of clear space above the surface, and heat to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) on a thermometer. Never leave hot oil unattended and keep a lid nearby to smother a flare-up.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of batter into the oil, four or five at a time so the temperature does not crash. Fry 4 to 5 minutes, turning them as they bob and rotate, until deep golden brown all around and a skewer pushed into one comes out clean.
- Lift them out with a slotted spoon onto a rack set over paper towels, let the oil come back to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) between batches, and dust the panikeke with confectioners' sugar while still warm.
Notes
- If the first one browns before the center cooks, the oil is too hot. Pull the pot off the heat for a minute and try again.
