Chocolate Fritters

Ingredients

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon NESTLÉ ABUELITA Granulated Chocolate Drink Mix, divided
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups warm water
4 cups vegetable oil for frying
Sparkling sugars (white, green and red)

Directions

COMBINE 1 tablespoon Abuelita chocolate, sugar and cinnamon in small bowl; set aside.

SIFT flour, remaining 3/4 cup Abuelita chocolate, baking powder and salt into large bowl.

BLEND vegetable shortening into flour mixture using your hands until well mixed with no large lumps. Add water and mix. Knead dough for 5 minutes until smooth.

DIVIDE dough into 54 balls using a rounded tablespoon (about 1½ inches in diameter or the size of a large walnut). Cover the dough balls with a clean cloth; let rest for 20 minutes.

ROLL out each ball on a lightly floured board until about 4½ to 5inches in diameter and 1/8-inch-thick.

HEAT oil in a large heavy skillet or pot to 350° F to 375° F. Deep fry fritters in small batches in the hot oil for 30 seconds on each side or until puffed up slightly. Remove and drain on paper towels.

SPRINKLE reserved Abuelita mixture over fritters as soon as you remove them from the skillet. Sprinkle with sparkling sugars, if desired.

Cook's Tip: Serve fritters with piloncillo syrup. Combine ¾ cup piloncillo, also known as brown loaf sugar (or dark brown sugar), 1 ½ cups water and a cinnamon stick in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently for 10 to 15 minutes or until reduced by half and thick enough to coat the spoon; remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick and cool. Serve warm over fritters. For additional flavor, add a pinch of anise seeds to the piloncillo mixture before cooking.