Sufganiyot (Hanukkah Jelly Doughnuts)
Tags: #israeli #jewish #hanukkah #dessert
Serving: 16 pieces
Total time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Pillowy, yeast-raised doughnuts filled with jam and dusted with sugar, a beloved Hanukkah staple across Israel.
Ingredients
- 230 ml warm water (30–35°C)
- 8 g instant yeast (or 10 g active dry yeast)
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 100 g eggs (about 2 large), room temperature
- 40 g neutral oil
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 3 g finely grated lemon zest
- 8 g fine sea salt or kosher salt
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 20 g all-purpose flour, for dusting
- 5 ml neutral oil, for greasing
- 1500 ml neutral frying oil
- 350 g smooth strawberry or raspberry jam
- 60 g confectioners’ sugar
Steps
- Whisk warm water, yeast, and 20 g of the sugar in a large bowl.
- Rest the mixture for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add the remaining 55 g sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt to the bowl.
- Beat the mixture until smooth.
- Add the flour to the bowl.
- Mix the dough until a shaggy mass forms.
- Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, 8–10 minutes.
- Grease a clean bowl with 5 ml oil.
- Place the dough in the greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl.
- Proof the dough at room temperature until doubled, 60–90 minutes.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Deflate the dough gently.
- Divide the dough into 16 portions of about 55 g each.
- Shape each portion into a tight ball.
- Arrange the balls on parchment-lined trays.
- Cover the dough balls.
- Proof the dough balls until puffy and very light, 45–60 minutes.
- Heat the frying oil in a deep pot to 175°C.
- Line a tray with paper towels.
- Fry 3–4 dough balls for 2 minutes.
- Flip the doughnuts.
- Fry the doughnuts for 1–2 minutes until deep golden.
- Transfer the doughnuts to the paper towel-lined tray.
- Return the oil to 175°C.
- Repeat frying with the remaining dough balls.
- Warm the jam gently until fluid and pipeable.
- Strain the jam if seedy.