There’s nothing that I look forward to at Hanukkah than traditional Sufganiyot (jelly donuts). We commemorate the oil in the Temple lasting 8 days in the eternal lamp, giving them enough time to make more to keep the light shining bright. Here is my favorite Sufganiyot recipe!
INGREDIENTS
- 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
- Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with 1 teaspoon of sugar and leave for 10 minutes
- Beat the remainder of the sugar with the egg and the yolk.
- Add the sour cream. salt, vanilla, and yeast – beat well
- Fold in the flour gradually, and beat until you have an soft/elastic dough, adding more flour if necessary.
- Knead dough for 5 minutes, sprinkling with a little flour if it feels too sticky.
- Coat the dough with oil by pouring a little in the bowl and turning the dough in it.
- 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
- 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
- With a pastry cutter, cut into 2-inch rounds.
- 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)
- Press to seal the edges together
- Continue with the remainder of the rounds laying them out on a floured baking sheet.
- Let them rise for half an hour.
- Heat 1-1/2 inches of oil in a saucepan to medium hot.
- Drop in the doughnuts, a few at a time (do not crowd them).
- Fry in 375-degree oil for 1 minute or less until brown, turning to fry both sides.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Serve sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.
- Enjoy
