(above photograph by John Kernick for Food and Wine magazine)
Tuesday evening we lit the last candle on the Menorah ending the 8 days of Hanukkah, 2017.
I had hoped to post this recipe for the above sufganiyot (Hebrew for doughnut) before the end of Hanukkah, but everything is taking me longer these days.
I’m happy to report my follow-up visit with the surgeon was a Hanukkah gift in itself for me on Tuesday, as my wrist appears to be healing well.
I have traded the splint in for a hard fiberglass cast, will begin physical therapy for my hand next week, and see the doctor again in two weeks.
While it may be too late to make these luscious looking jelly doughnuts for Hanukkah this year, it is certainly not too late for the holiday season, including New Year’s Eve or even NewYear’s Day brunch!
This beautiful photograph of the doughnuts above graced the cover of the December issue of Food and Wine Magazine.
Andrew Zimmern, the globe-trotting contributor to the magazine shared this recipe for these sufganiyot, the most popular Hanukkah food in Israel.
Andrew says…
These billowy treats are whipped up from balls of yeast dough injected with gooey chocolate, various creams, tangy curds or, as here, strawberry jam-which squirts out when you bite into them.
The pastries are deep-fried and rolled in confectioners’ sugar or, for maximum crunch, cinnamon sugar.
Bakeries and markets start frying them weeks before the actual holiday and keep cranking them out until the week after.
But why limit these oozy, spice-coated marvels to December? With this recipe, you can get messy with them all year long.
Here’s the recipe..
Sufganiyot (Hanukkah Doughnuts)
(makes 24)
Ingredients
¾ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/3 cup superfine sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced
1 large egg
4 teaspoons Armagnac or apple brandy
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt
5 cups canola oil, plus more for brushing
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 cups strawberry jam
How to Make It
Step 1
In a small microwavable bowl, warm the milk at high power to 110°, 1 minute. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk
and let stand until foamy, about
10 minutes.
Step 2
In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour with the superfine sugar. Add the milk mixture, the butter, egg, Armagnac, vanilla and salt. Knead at low speed, scraping down the side of the bowl, until the dough starts to come together, about 4 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough
is soft and pulls away from the bowl, about 10 minutes.
Step 3
Lightly brush a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Lightly brush 2 rimmed baking sheets with oil. Punch down the dough and cut in half. Roll
each half into a 12-inch log. Cut each log into 12 equal pieces, roll into balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
Step 4
In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar with
the cinnamon.
Step 5
In a large saucepan, heat the 5 cups of oil over moderate heat to 325°. Working in batches, fry the doughnuts, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts as they’re done to the cinnamon sugar and toss to coat. Let cool on a rack, about 15 minutes.
Step 6
Spoon the jam into a pastry bag or small resealable plastic bag with 1 corner snipped. Pipe about 2 tablespoons of jam
into 2 opposite ends of each doughnut and serve as soon
as possible.
Make Ahead
The doughnuts can be stored in an airtight container overnight.