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1
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Rub in the lard or shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the warm water gradually, mixing until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Knead briefly — the dough should be smooth and not sticky.
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2
Rest the dough, covered, for 15 minutes. Then roll it out on a lightly floured surface to 2–3 mm thickness — no thicker. Cut into triangles or squares of roughly 8–10 cm. This is where the dish lives or dies: dough rolled beyond 3 mm will not puff; it will fry dense and hollow nothing.
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3
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 190°C. Verify with a thermometer. At lower temperatures the dough absorbs oil before steam can expand the interior; at 190°C the puff is immediate.
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4
Slide one or two pieces of dough into the oil. Within the first 2–3 seconds, press each piece gently below the surface with a slotted spoon to ensure all-over contact with the hot oil. The sopaipilla will begin to inflate like a balloon — a dramatic, rapid puff. The dough is done when it is golden on both sides, not brown; turn once if needed. Total time in the oil is approximately 1–2 minutes.
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5
Lift with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on a rack or absorbent paper. The finished sopaipilla should be golden, rigid, hollow, and light — audibly crisp when tapped.
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6
Serve immediately to the table, with honey in a squeeze bottle. The diner tears or bites a corner and drizzles honey into the hollow interior. A sopaipilla left to cool deflates, softens, and loses all character.