Doughnuts (sufganiyot) are a celebratory treat traditionally consumed in Israel and throughout the Jewish diaspora community around the world during Hanukkah, when foods fried in oil symbolize the oil that miraculously burned for eight days instead of one in the Hanukkah story.
There are several types of doughnuts: yeast, cake, and brioche. Here, the doughnuts are made from challah dough—the ceremonially Jewish enriched bread that is similar to brioche. Sufganiyots are traditionally filled with jam or jelly. Blueberry jam is used in this recipe to symbolize the color of the Israeli flag, as well as one of the traditional colors of the season.
HANUKKAH DOUGHNUTS (SUFANIYOT) RECIPE
Yield: approximately 12 donuts
INGREDIENTS
| warm milk | 120 grams |
| Instant active dry yeast | 3 grams |
| whole eggs | 1 |
| egg yolk | 1 |
| vegetable oil | 30 grams |
| granulated sugar | 25 grams |
| salt | 3 grams |
| all-purpose flour | 290-308 grams |
| ground mace*, or nutmeg | 1 gram |
| blueberry jam | 250 grams |
| additional flour | for dusting |
| powdered sugar | for finishing |
*Mace is the lacey membrane that surrounds nutmeg—a seed that is derived from the fruit of the nutmeg tree. Although the two are related, mace has a more subtle floral note than its nuttier, and spicier, relative. If you cannot find mace at your local store; nutmeg is a suitable substitute.
DIRECTIONS
- Combine the milk and yeast into the metal bowl of an electric stand mixer, stir, and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.
- To the yeast mixture, add the egg, egg yolk, and vegetable oil. Whisk the ingredients to combine.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, mace, and salt and add it to the mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
- Place the bowl on an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 7 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to bench ferment until double, approximately 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, begin preheating a large pot with clean canola oil to 375°F.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and turn it dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough to ½” to ¾” thick and cut with a 3” diameter cutter.
- Loosely cover the doughnuts with plastic wrap and all to rest for 10 minutes, until the dough springs back halfway when gently touched.
- Working in batches, place the doughnuts in the preheated oil until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Remove from the oil with a spider skimmer, or a slotted spoon.
- Allow the doughnuts to drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
- Place blueberry jam in a piping bag fitted with a small open piping tip. Insert the tip into the side of the doughnut along the white edge and pipe the desired amount of jam into the doughnut.
- Dust the doughnuts with powdered sugar using a metal mesh strainer or sugar duster.
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