These are a Dutch traditional treat for new year's eve and new year's day. But you can buy them from street vendors throughout the winter. And they're fun to make at home, too. I've even seen them being made next to a camp fire while camping.

If it all works like it's supposed to work, they'll turn themselves over in the oil to get evenly brown on all sides.

• 17 g compressed fresh yeast
• 235 ml lukewarm milk
• 280 g all-purpose flour
• 10 g salt
• 1 egg
• 110 g dried currants
• 125 g raisins
• 1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and finely chopped (optional)
• 1 litre of vegetable oil for deep-frying
• 125 g confectioners' sugar for dusting.

DIRECTIONS

1. Break up the compressed yeast, and stir into the warm milk. Let stand for a few minutes to dissolve. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir the yeast mixture and egg into the flour and mix into a smooth batter. Stir in the currants, raisins and apple. Cover the bowl, and leave the batter in a warm place to rise until double in size. This will take about 1 hour.
2. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer, or heavy deep pan to 190 degrees C / 375 degrees F. Use 2 metal spoons to shape scoops of dough into balls, and drop them carefully into the hot oil.
3. Fry the balls until golden brown, about 8 minutes. The oliebollen should be soft and not greasy. If the oil is not hot enough, the outside will be tough and the insides greasy. Drain finished oliebollen on paper towels and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve them piled on a dish with more confectioners' sugar dusted over them. Eat them hot if possible.