Combine the water, brown sugar, and anise seeds in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Increase the heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Regulate the heat so that the mixture is simmering.
Cook for about 20 minutes until it has reduced to about 1 ¼ cups. Set the syrup aside to cool.
Preparing The Dough
Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, anise seeds, and lard and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
When the lard or shortening has melted and is boiling, remove it from heat. Stir in the flour mixture all at once. Return to the heat and continue stirring for a minute or two. The dough will be ready when it pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Remove the saucepan from the heat for the last time and add the eggs, beating well after each addition. The dough should be very soft and only just hold its shape.
Time To Fry
In a large, heavy skillet, heat about ½ inch of oil until it is smoking. Flour your hands well and break off a piece of dough. Roll it into a ball about the size of a golf ball.
Carefully slip them into the oil. Be sure not to crowd the skillet (cook separate batches, if necessary).
Drain the fried balls on paper towels. Then, sprinkle white or confectioner’s sugar over them.
Serve warm, and drizzle the syrup over them.
Notes:
Don’t over-knead or pound the dough too much. You want a soft dough that you can also shape easily. For a faster process, I like using a cookie scoop for even-sized buñuelos. But if you don’t have one, don’t worry; you can use your hands to make golf-size balls, about 1 inch each. Again, remember to flour your hands, so the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers too much.
The temperature must be just right. At the start of the frying process, the oil must be hot. When you put a couple of buñuelos in, the temperature usually goes down. But if you see that it is too high, lower it so the dough has a golden crust outside and is cooked inside.
Don’t stop now! Once you start making the buñuelos, I strongly recommend you don’t stop. It is best not to let the dough sit too long before frying, as it could dry up and change the consistency of the balls.
