Rum-Honey Fritters

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
About 1 cup milk
Vegetable oil

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Stir in sugar, then add egg, butter and just enough milk to form a soft, but not sticky, dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth. Divide dough in 8 to 12 pieces; shape each piece into a ball. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, shape balls into flat cakes. Using the back of a metal spoon, make a shallow indentation in the top of each cake.

Heat a deep-fat fryer two-thirds full of oil to 375 degrees F. Fry a few cakes at a time for 5 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Drain on paper towels.

Serve fritters in individual bowls topped with syrup.

Syrup:
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rum
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon butter

Place all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring frequently. Turn heat down and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until mixture thickens to a syrup.

Remove cinnamon stick. For a more distinct rum flavor, you may wish to omit the rum while the syrup is cooking, then add the rum after you remove the saucepan from the heat.