Sugary, sizzling sufganiyot

PAM REISS

Chanukah is just around the corner and Jewish kitchens around the world, no doubt, have stocked up on oil for frying. Instead of (or in addition to) potato latkes, try making sufganiyot: golden brown doughnuts, filled with sweet fillings and then usually rolled in sugar.

SUFGANIYOT

(Makes approximately 20 2-inch doughnuts)
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 packets quick-rise, instant yeast
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 cup tepid water
1 large egg white (for technique #2)
oil – for frying
jam or jelly – for filling icing sugar or granulated sugar – for rolling

Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. (This may also be done by hand or using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, but I prefer using the food processor.) Buzz it for about five seconds, to mix everything together.

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients. The water should be just warm to the touch – not hot. With the food processor running, carefully pour the liquid into the machine. Let the machine work for 1-2 minutes, or until you have a well-mixed, soft dough. You may need to hold onto the machine as it does its work.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until you have a smooth ball of dough. If the machine did enough of the work for you, it should only take a minute or so of kneading to get it to the proper state. Oil a large bowl, turning the dough over in the bowl so it's lightly coated with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in volume.

Cut the dough in half to work with. Then choose one of the following techniques for making sufganiyot.

Technique #1 – frying and then filling

Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough out so that it's approximately a half-inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter to cut the dough into circles. You can make these whatever size you like – I usually use a two-inch round. Place the rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap and let them rise for about 20 minutes, or until they've almost doubled in size.

While the rounds are rising, heat about an inch of oil to 350 degrees for frying. I always make these in a large electric frying pan – there's a lot of surface area and I find that it keeps a constant and consistent temperature. If you don't have one, this can be done in a pot on the stove – just use a thermometer to make sure the oil is 350 and be very careful.

When the oil is hot and the rounds have risen, carefully transfer a few of them to the oil. Don't overcrowd the pan – they should be in a single layer and have a little floating room around each one. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown, and then carefully use two large spoons to turn them over. Fry the second side until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sufganiyot from the oil and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towel to drain. Cool just until you can handle them.

Fit a pastry bag with a four-millimetre Bismark pastry tip (this is a tip that has a long, narrow tube with an angled end that is easy to insert into the doughnut). Fill the bag with a jam or jelly of your choice. Holding a sufganiya in one hand and the pastry bag in another, insert the tip into the side of the doughnut. Gently squeeze the bag as you slowly pull the tip out of the sufganiya. Immediately roll the sufganiya into icing or granulated sugar (place a layer of sugar onto a large plate for this step). Do the same with the rest of the sufganiyot and serve as soon as possible. These are best eaten right away – or within the same day.

Technique #2 – filling and then frying

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out until it's approximately 1/4 inch. Use a circular cutter to cut the dough into rounds. Brush the edges of half of the rounds with the egg white and then place about 1 teaspoon of jam or jelly in the centre of each round that's been brushed. Place another round of dough on top of the filling, then carefully pinch the two pieces together. Make sure the two halves are completely sealed. Do the same thing with the rest of the rounds and then place them all on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 20 minutes, until they've risen again.

While the sufganiyot are resting and rising, heat the oil the same way you would for technique #1. Follow the instructions for frying them as well.

Once they've been fried and drained on paper towel, roll them in sugar, serve and enjoy.

Pamela Reiss is a Winnipeg freelance writer and the author of Soup: A Kosher Collection.

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