Adapted from Little Book of Jewish Sweets, Chronicle Books, 2019
- Make the bimuelos: Stir together the yeast, the teaspoon of sugar, and the warm water in a large bowl, and let sit until bubbling and frothy, 5 - 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together 420g of the flour, the remaining 50g sugar, the cardamom, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir the egg yolks, milk, and vanilla into the yeast mixture. Add the flour mixture in two additions, stirring until the dough begins to come together.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding up to 140g of flour, a little at a time, until the dough is smooth and supple, 5 to 10 minutes. (You may not need all the flour.) The kneading can also be done in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 5 - 7 minutes.
- Rub about 1 tsp of vegetable oil around the large bowl; place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
- Line a large plate with paper towels. Add oil to a medium saucepan until it’s about 4cm deep and set the pan over medium heat until the temperature reaches 185°C on a thermometer. Working in batches of five or six, pinch off walnut-size pieces of dough, roll each into a ball shape, and drop in the hot oil. Fry, flipping once, until puffed, golden, and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate to drain.
- Make the cardamom sugar: Stir together the sugar, cardamom, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Working in batches, add the warm bimuelos to the mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
