Cascaron – Bitsu-Bitsu (Dough Balls) Recipe

[Savvy Nana]

Cascaron, deep fried bread dough, is a popular merienda (snack) option in the Philippines. Filipinos love fried food. I love anything fried!

Cascaron or “Bitsu-Bitsu”, deep fried bread dough; crunchy outside; soft and sticky inside. It’s made from mochiko flour, a kind of sweet rice flour. Cascaron is a sweet crunchy snack that should not be confused with the other bread dish called bitso-bitso or bicho-bicho which uses all purpose flour instead of mochiko flour.

If you’re looking for more merienda recipes check out our Merienda Series including: “Halo-Halo ” Filipino Iced Mixed Fruit Dessert, Halayang Ube (Purple Yam Jam), Banana Lumpia – Turon, Bibingka Galapong, Puto Cheese (Steamed Rice Cake with Cheese), Mais con Yelo – Refreshing Filipino Snack, Bananas in Syrup – Minatamis na Sabang Saging, Banana Que – Fried Banana Skewers, Pancit Palabok – Filipino Noodle Dish, Biko (Sweet Rice Cake) Treat, Filipino Beef Empanada Recipe Champorado: Filipino Chocolate Rice Porridge, Palitaw – Coconut & Sesame Seed Topped Sticky Rice Dumplings, Chicharon (Crispy Pork Rinds) Recipe, Chicharon (Crispy Pork Rinds) and Buko Pie – Filipino Coconut Pie!

Ingredients:

1 box mochi flour

1/3 box of dark brown sugar

1 cup grated fresh or canned coconut

1 1/2 cup hot water

1/4 cup cold water

Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Place grated coconut in hot water. Squeeze until the water turns opaque or milky.

Place a dish towel or fine cheese cloth over a bowl and pour coconut and water into the cloth.

Drain coconut milk into bowl, then squeeze remaining coconut in the towel until all the liquid is squeezed out.

Mix drained coconut in flour and add milky coconut water until dough is soft but not too sticky.

Shape dough in balls of 1 inch diameter and fry in 2-3″ of oil until golden brown.

Drain dough balls on paper towel then put them in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Boil cold water and brown sugar in a small sauce pan until it reaches the soft boil stage this is done by placing a drop of syrup in a bowl of cold water. If it retains it shape and is soft, it is ready.

Pour over dough balls. Toss fried dough balls in the syrup until all are completely covered.

Remove from bowl and place them in a platter to cool. You can skewer them on to bamboo sticks for a nice presentation.

Service with hot or cold drinks.

Share and Enjoy!!!