Sufganiyot – a Hanukkah treat

• Strawberry or Raspberry Jam
• Canola oil for deep-frying
• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 3 drops vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt
• 1 whole egg
• 3 Tablespoons sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• Confectioners’ sugar to sprinkle on
• 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
• 1 teaspoon dried yeast

Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with 1 teaspoon of sugar and leave for 10 minutes
2. Beat the remainder of the sugar with the egg and the yolk.
3. Add the sour cream. salt, vanilla, and yeast – beat well
4. Fold in the flour gradually, and beat until you have an soft/elastic dough, adding more flour if necessary.
5. Knead dough for 5 minutes, sprinkling with a little flour if it feels too sticky.
6. Coat the dough with oil by pouring a little in the bowl and turning the dough in it.
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place (the oven) to rise for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size
8. Remove and knead the dough again for a few minutes, then roll out on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin to about 1/4-inch
9. With a pastry cutter, cut into 2-inch rounds.
10. Put a dollop of jam in the center of a round of dough, and brush the outside with a little water to make it sticky (alternately you can pipe the jam in after the donuts are cooked – I’ve done it both ways)
11. Press to seal the edges together
12. Continue with the remainder of the rounds laying them out on a floured baking sheet.
13. Let them rise for half an hour.
14. Heat 1-1/2 inches of oil in a saucepan to medium hot.
15. Drop in the doughnuts, a few at a time (do not crowd them).
16. Fry in 375-degree oil for 1 minute or less until brown, turning to fry both sides.
17. Drain on paper towels.
18. Serve sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.
19. Enjoy