Buñuelos are a Mexican dessert treat that is usually served during holidays such as Christmas and New years. After arriving at Mars, this dish has also been made into a staple of Week of the Dead. 

Why Buñuelos?

The significance of this dish only seems fitting since the Week of the Dead is derived from Dea de Muertos, the Mexican holiday of honoring the dead. Although the cultural significance has slightly shifted with its appearance in Martian society, the dish still holds a special spot in our hearts which is why it was included in The Week of the Dead Cook Book. Buñuelos, like the personal pizzas in our last blog post, are made with wheat flour. Again, our recipe will be made from scratch which places an increased significance on wheat! 

The other key ingredient within recipe is the (optional!) honey drip. Honey is the product of bees which were introduced in the early  phases of Mars' development. Bees play a vital role in any environment. Not only do they produce delicious honey that can be used to make buñuelos as seen here, or even the balsamic honey dressing seen in the salad blog post, but they are also pollinators. For a number of plants, germination requires pollination. This is done by having the pollen from a plant's anther reach the plant's stigma. This does not happen naturally, therefore a carrier must be used: bees! Furthermore, as pollinators, bees allow for cross-pollination. This increases the biodiversity of plants which supports the growth and survival of trees, flowers, and other plants. Without the introduction of bees into our Martian society, who knows what would have happened to the ecosystem!  

Instructions:

Dough:

Again, remember that the Martian atmosphere and gravitational forces are weaker than they are on Earth!

1. Add wheat flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Mix until evenly combined.
2. Add the warm water into the bowl along with the oil. 
3. Knead the dough until it comes together. The texture should be smooth and elastic.
4. Roll the dough into a ball, place it into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it sit for 4-5 minutes. 

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

Either before the dough is made or while the dough is resting, the cinnamon sugar topping should be created:

1. Simply mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl (easy as that!). 

Frying and Finishing Touches

WARNING: Due to the weak atmospheric pressure and gravitational forces of Mars, it is much easier for the oil to splatter back towards you! Be careful!

1. Fill a large sauté pan with 1 to 2 inches of frying oil. 
2. Divide the dough into 8 pieces.
3. Roll each piece into a ball.
4. Flatten each ball into 8-10 inch circles.
5. Heat the frying oil to 350 degrees F.
6. Fry each flattened circle for about 30-45 seconds, turning once (or until both sides are golden brown). 
7. Transfer onto a plate and remove excess oil.
8. Heavily sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping onto each buñuelos
9. (Optional!) Drizzle Honey
10. Enjoy!

At last, dessert is made! Finish the night off strong with a hot buñuelo! We hope that your festivities were memorable, your meals were delicious, and your bellies are filled! Happy Weak of the Dead!

References

Isabel. "Mexican Buñuelos." Isabel Eats, 17 Dec. 2018, https://www.isabeleats.com/mexican-bunuelos/. Accessed 4 May 2020.

Premier Tech. "5 Ways Bees Are Important to the Environment." Premier Tech and Home Garden, 2020, https://www.pthomeandgarden.com/5-ways-bees-are-important-to-the-environment/. Accessed 4 May 2020. 

(Page By: Tyler Kung)