Deep-fried jelly donuts, traditionally eaten during the Jewish Hanukkah festival.
Recipe: Pillowy Sufganiyots - A Delicious Hanukkah Tradition
Step into the world of rich, mouthwatering sufganiyots - a delectable treat that's not just exclusive to Jewish cuisine but has become an essential part of Hanukkah celebrations. These golden, sugary-crusted donuts serve as a delightful reminder of the miraculous eight-day oil supply during the rededication of the Second Temple.
Stuffed with your preferred jam or jelly, these donuts guarantee a taste explosion. Feel free to get adventurous and fill them with a medley of jellies and jams!
🍽️ Servings: 35🎯 Difficulty: Medium🕒 Preparation Time: 1 hr, 50 mins, plus 2 to 2 1/2 hrs for the dough to rise🕒 Cook Time: 3 hrs, 50 mins
Ingredients (11)
- 2 fresh, tasty Eggland's Best eggs
- 6 tablespoons of soft, creamy unsalted butter
- 5 heaping cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of savory salt
- 3/4 cup of sweet sugar
- 1 1/2 cups of tangy buttermilk
- 1/4 cup of gently warmed water
- 2 packets of active dry yeast
- 4 cups of canola oil for deep-frying
- dusting of powdered sugar for decorating
- your favorite jams and jellies for filling
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in the warm water and let it sit undisturbed for about 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, salt, eggs, butter, buttermilk, yeast mixture, and 3 cups of flour. Expect a texture change as an elastic dough forms.
- Gradually mix in the remaining 2 cups of flour, half a cup at a time, until the dough ceases to stick to the bowl's sides.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it on a floured surface for 5 minutes.
- Place the kneaded dough in a large, greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise in a warm spot for approximately 1-1 1/2 hours or until it doubles in size.
- Roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a floured surface once it has risen.
- Using a 1-inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out the dough into rounds. To prevent sticking, make sure to dip your cutter in flour before each cut. You can repeat this step until all the dough is used. Allow the dough rounds to rise again on a baking sheet for an additional hour.
- In a medium-sized pot, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully slide 2-3 dough rounds into the oil using a wide spatula.
- Watch for the donuts to become golden brown, at which point flip them over and cook the other side. Remove the donuts from the oil and drain them on a paper towel once both sides are golden brown. Repeat this process until all the donuts are cooked and cooled.
- Fill the donuts using your preferred jams and jellies. Poke a hole in the side of each donut with the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill a zipper-top bag with your filling, snip off a corner to create a makeshift pastry bag, and fill each donut with 1-2 teaspoons of jam. Generously coat the donuts with confectioner's sugar and serve warm.
Fun Facts and Background
Sufganiyot, also known as "suganut" or "jelly donuts," have a fascinating history that intertwines with the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Although the exact origins of sufganiyot are unknown, they are believed to be influenced by various European doughnuts like the German Berliner and Polish pączki[5]. These treats, also typically deep-fried and filled with jam, share similarities with sufganiyot as they celebrate the oil-centric theme of Hanukkah. Enjoy these scrumptious delights as part of your Hanukkah celebrations or any time you have a craving for something sweet!
[1] Hanukkah: The Festival of Lightshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah[2] Latkes (Hanukkah potato pancakes)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latke[3] Sufganiyahhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufganiyah[4] Berlinerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berliner_(pastiche)[5] Sufganiyothttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufganiyot
- The filled donuts, named sufganiyots, are popular during Hanukkah celebrations, offering a taste explosion as they are stuffed with preferred jams or jellies.
- Following the instructions, allow the dough to rise for an additional hour after cutting out rounds, ensuring ample space for the delicious fillings.
- Once the dough rounds are fried and cooled, fill them with 1-2 teaspoons of jam using a makeshift pastry bag, enabling you to enjoy these scrumptious sufganiyots.
- In making these traditional sufganiyots, feel free to get adventurous by experimenting with a medley of jellies and jams.
