Sufganiyot (Hanukkah Jelly Doughnuts)
Local name: סופגניות
In short: Soft yeasted doughnuts fried until golden, filled with strawberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar, the treat of Israeli Hanukkah. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 16 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 2 h 10 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 16
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 310 kcal
Sufganiyot are the jelly doughnuts of Israeli Hanukkah, and bakeries start selling them weeks before the holiday. The dough is soft and slightly rich with milk, eggs and butter, fried in hot oil until puffy and golden with a pale band around the middle. They are filled with jam, usually strawberry, and dusted with powdered sugar. Fresh from the fryer and still a little warm, they are hard to beat.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the milk, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest and knead for 5 minutes. Add the butter a piece at a time and knead for 8 to 10 minutes more, until smooth, elastic and slightly tacky.
- Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
- Roll the dough 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) thick on a floured surface and cut 16 rounds with a 7 cm (2 3/4 inch) cutter, rerolling the scraps. Set each round on a square of baking paper, cover and let puff for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot to 175°C (350°F). Use a thermometer.
- Fry 3 or 4 doughnuts at a time for about 1 1/2 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown with a pale ring around the middle. Drain on a rack.
- Cool for 10 minutes. Fit a piping bag with a narrow tip, fill it with the jam, push the tip into the side of each doughnut and squeeze in about 1 tbsp.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve the same day.
Tips
- Keep the oil at 175°C (350°F). If it is too cool the doughnuts soak up oil, and if it is too hot they brown before cooking through. Fry one as a test.
- Other fillings are caramel, chocolate spread or vanilla custard. Or leave them unfilled and roll them in cinnamon sugar.
Questions and answers
Why are sufganiyot eaten at Hanukkah?
They are fried in oil, which recalls the story of the oil that burned for eight days, the heart of the festival. Israeli bakeries sell them from weeks before the holiday.
Can I bake sufganiyot instead of frying them?
You can, but you get a soft filled roll rather than a fried sufganiyah. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 12 to 15 minutes, brush with melted butter and fill.
How do I store sufganiyot?
They are best the day they are made. Keep unfilled doughnuts in an airtight container overnight, then fill and dust them just before serving.
How long does it take to make Sufganiyot (Hanukkah Jelly Doughnuts)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Sufganiyot (Hanukkah Jelly Doughnuts)?
About 310 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 44 g of carbohydrates and 13 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 310 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 44 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 22 g |
| Sodium | 130 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
