Diples – Golden Sweet Honey Rolls

Diples, a crispy sweet pastry known as a specialty of the Peloponnesian region. There’s a “twist” to these delightful morsels, and they are more than worth the effort to create!

Ingredients:

SYRUP

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• rind of one orange

Topping:

• 1/2 cup walnuts, ground

DOUGH – MAKES ABOUT 24 DIPLES

• 5 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 1/2-3cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• vegetable oil, for frying
  (or shortening)

Directions

1. To make the syrup, combine the sugar and water in a pot, adding in the cinnamon stick and orange rind. Bring to a full boil, then allow to simmer slowly until syrup is a golden color. Remove the orange rind and keep on low heat to keep warm.
2. Sift the flour with the baking powder, set aside.
3. Beat the egg yolks and whole egg with a mixer, high speed, for about 4-5 minutes until the eggs are thick and color is pale yellow.
4. Combine the melted butter and orange juice. With the mixer on medium, add to the egg mixture until well blended.
5. Slowly add the flour, now mixing by spoon or by hand, so that it may be well incorporated and doesn’t stick to sides of bowl.
6. Place the combined dough on a floured board and knead it is smooth and texture is elastic texture (will take 5-10 minutes).
7. Separate the dough into four pieces, cover with saran wrap and let it rest for about half an hour.
8. After the dough has rested, use a rolling pin, or pasta machine to roll out each section. Should be thin, about 1/16th of an inch (the thickness of pasta).
9. Cut the dough so that it is about 4-6 inches wide and about 10 inches long (again, a pasta machine is very handy to roll to right size and density). Lay the pieces either on a floured board or wax paper.
10. Heat frying oil in a deep pan, about 3-4 inches deep. The oil should be hot but not smoking.
11. The “twisting process” goes quickly… be prepared. With one hand, hold up your piece of dough and carefully place one end (about 1-2 inches) in the oil, “capture” the dough between the tongs of a large fork with the other hand and as the dough begins to bubble and cook begin a slow “twisting” or rolling of the dough, carefully letting more dough into the pan with your other hand as you roll the cooked dough. A cooked dough is a light golden color and large bubbles will form in the dough from boiling.
12. Once cooked, turn the roll on its sides in the oil, allowing them to cook just a bit more, becoming a darker golden brown.
13. Drain and remove the roll to a tray layered with paper towels and stand it on its ends. Begin rolling the next dipla.
14. Once the rolls (diples) have cooled, gently immerse each one (separately) into the pot of syrup using a large slotted spoon and then place onto a tray for serving. Sprinkle with cinnamon and ground walnuts and serve.