Kafana-Style Tulumbe

Serbia's carnival sweet — ridged choux cylinders fried golden and soaked in warm honey syrup, crisp outside and almost hollow inside, still dripping when you bite in.

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Ingredients

  • 180ml water
  • 60ml full-fat organic milk
  • 60ml avocado oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • 150g organic all-purpose flour
  • 4 large pasture-raised eggs
  • Avocado oil for frying (enough to fill your pot 5–6cm deep)
  • For the syrup: 200g raw honey
  • For the syrup: 200ml water
  • For the syrup: 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • For the syrup: 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

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Reorder the shelf-stable staples for this recipe.

What you'll need

  • Stand mixer — Hands-free creaming and whipping — the most time-saving machine in a baker's kitchen.
  • Kitchen scale — Baking by weight is more accurate than cups — 1 g = 1 g, always.
  • Silicone baking mat — No parchment waste, uniform browning, nothing sticks.

Instructions

  1. Make the syrup first: combine raw honey, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring, then simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and let cool completely to room temperature — hot pastry must go into cool syrup so the tulumbe soak through without turning soggy.
  2. Combine water, milk, avocado oil, salt, and honey in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat.
  3. Remove from heat. Add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls cleanly from the sides and forms a smooth ball. Return to low heat and stir 1–2 minutes more to dry the dough slightly.
  4. Transfer to a bowl and let cool 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition. The dough should be smooth, glossy, and hold its shape when piped — thick enough that the star ridges stay defined.
  5. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (1.5cm). Pipe 5–6cm lengths, cutting with scissors or a wet knife.
  6. Heat avocado oil in a heavy pot to 170°C (340°F). Do not use a higher temperature — tulumbe need slow even heat to cook through without burning. Fry in small batches, 5–6 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until deep golden all over.
  7. Drain briefly on a rack, then immediately drop the hot tulumbe into the cooled syrup. Let soak 4–5 minutes, turning once, so the syrup penetrates to the center. Remove to a plate.
  8. Serve at room temperature, dripping with syrup. Tulumbe are best eaten within 1–2 hours — they soften as they sit.

FAQ

What makes this recipe clean eating?

This recipe uses organic ingredients, avoids refined sugars and seed oils typically found in processed versions, and relies on whole foods like avocado oil for cooking.

Can I use regular honey instead of raw honey?

While you can use regular honey, using raw honey is preferable as it retains more nutrients and benefits associated with the unprocessed form.

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