Sopaipillas

Directions

1. 1
   In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm (100° to 110°) water for 5 minutes. In a 1 1/2- to 2-qt. pan, combine milk, the lard, sugar, and salt; heat to 110° and add to dissolved yeast. With a wooden spoon or stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir 3 cups all-purpose flour and all the whole-wheat flour into the yeast mixture; beat until dough is stretchy. Stir in another 1 cup all-purpose flour to form a stiff dough.
2. 2
   Beat on medium speed until dough pulls cleanly from side of bowl and is no longer sticky (or knead until no longer sticky). If it's still sticky, add more all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp. at a time, and beat or knead until dough is smooth. Put hand-mixed dough in an oiled bowl and turn over to coat top.
3. 3
   Cover dough with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm (about 80°) place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down dough. If you're not ready to cut and fry dough, cover again and chill up to 1 day.
4. 4
   Knead dough on a lightly floured work surface to expel air. Cut into 4 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, roll into a circle about 1/8 in. thick; with a floured knife, cut into 6 equal wedges and lay in a single layer on a floured rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and chill while you roll and cut remaining dough.
5. 5
   Pour enough oil into a 5- to 6-qt. pan to come 1 1/2 to 2 in. up side of pan. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry or candy thermometer registers 350°, then adjust heat to maintain temperature. Drop one or two pieces of dough into oil. With a slotted spoon, push them down into oil until they begin to puff. Fry until pale gold on both sides, turning over as needed to brown evenly, 2 to 3 minutes total. Drain in paper towel-lined pans. Fry remaining sopaipillas the same way.
6. 6
   Serve immediately, or keep first ones warm in a 200° oven until all are fried. Serve plain or dusted with powdered sugar, and set out honey for drizzling.
7. 7
   Quick Tip: For a shortcut, replace the homemade dough with two 1-lb. loaves of thawed frozen white or wheat dough; then, in step 4, cut each loaf in half and roll out thinly. The sopaipillas are quite large, so feel free to halve the recipe.
8. 8
   Make Ahead: Through step 3, up to 1 day, chilled; cut and fry dough the next day. Fried sopaipillas, up to 1 day, stored at room temperature; up to 2 months, frozen in resealable plastic freezer bags. To reheat fried sopaipillas, thaw (if frozen) and bake, uncovered, in a single layer on baking sheets in a 300° oven, turning once, just until warm, 5 to 8 minutes. Do not overheat or they'll harden.
9. 9
   Note: Nutritional analysis is per sopaipilla.