Debla means “Rose”. This delicious Purim dessert is famous among all the Sephardi Jews, but goes by different names. Whether you call them Hojuelas or fijuelas or deblas, they are all basically thin rolled dough that is fried and covered in a sweet honey like syrup.
Ingredients
Servings 10 pastries
- 5 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ½ cups to 3 cups all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
For syrup:
- 2 cups sugar
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon orange flower water
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups water
Nutritional Facts
Nutrition Facts
Deblas
Amount per Serving
Calories
299
% Daily Value*
Fat
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
82
mg
27
%
Sodium
143
mg
6
%
Potassium
65
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
64
g
21
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
40
g
44
%
Protein
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
119
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
0.05
mg
0
%
Calcium
18
mg
2
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the baking soda and 2 ½ cups flour, mixing well to form a firm dough. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour.
- Sprinkle a little flour over a work surface or pastry board and rolling pin. Separate the dough into 5 pieces and roll out each in paper-thin strips.
- Heat the oil in a deep frying pan.
- Cut the large strips into strips 2 inches wide and about 12 inches long, and prick the dough with a fork. Carefully begin wrapping the strip around the prong of a wide fork while frying it. This forms a “rose”. Keep rolling (or coiling) it around itself as it fries and fry until lightly browned. Remove from the oil and drain in a paper towel-lined colander.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
- Prepare the syrup by combining sugar, lemon juice, orange flower water, vanilla and water and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to thicken syrup. Stir and remove from heat.
- Dip the debla into the heated syrup, soaking it well, and drain in a colander. If the syrup becomes too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons warm water.
Notes
Recipe from Sephardi Israeli Cuisine by Sheilah Kaufman (Hippocrene Books, 2002).
