Night Three: *Perfect* Sufganyot

Credit: Marcy Goldman – Kosher.com

On this Third Night of Hanukkah, we bring you…the *Perfect* Sufganiyot Recipe!

What is sufganiyot, you ask? In a nutshell, sufganiyot is the Israeli version of a donut. Deep-fried pockets of deliciousness, typically filled with jelly and topped with powdered sugar. These delicacies have been a long-standing Hanukkah tradition. You really can’t go wrong with this Hanukkah treat. Small in size and large in flavor, your sweet tooth will certainly thank you.

Special Thanks to Marcy Goldman and her recipe found on Kosher.com

Total Duration: 1h 25m | 24 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp Gefen Instant or bread machine yeast

1/4 c warm water

1 c warm milk (or water)

1/3 c oil or parve (aka: non-dairy) shortening

1/3 c sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks

4-5 c all-purpose flour, as necessary

1 1/2 c jam or jelly filling (typically, strawberry or raspberry)

oil for frying

granulated, superfine sugar

Prepare the Dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yeast with the water and let stand 2-3 minutes
2. Add the milk (or water) and oil (or shortening). Let the mixture cool a bit then add the sugar, salt, eggs, and yolks. Stir well and pour into yeast mixture.
3. Add the flour and stir on low speed to form a soft dough. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead for 5-8 minutes, adding a bit of flour, as needed to form a firmer dough. When the dough is smooth and elastic, remove the dough hook, spray the dough with nonstick cooking spray, and cover the bowl with a large plastic bag. Let the dough rise until almost double in size or do a cold rise overnight in the refrigerator.

Shape

1. Punch down the dough and pinch off pieces to form small, golf ball-sized balls. Place them on a cookie sheet (or plate), cover, and let them rest for 15 minutes.

Fry

1. In a deep fryer or heavy dutch oven, heat four (4) inches of oil to 375° Fahrenheit. Add the doughnuts a few at a time and fry until the undersides are deep brown. Gently turn over once and finish frying the other side. Lift the doughnuts out using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
2. Slit the doughnuts open two-thirds of the way. Pipe or spoon in a tablespoon or so of jelly and reseal the doughnuts. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if desired. Serve at once. For a true Hanukkah experience, enjoy while watching this video on the History of Hanukkah.

For more recipes, interviews, and history of Hanukkah, click here.