Last Updated on November 15, 2021
Sufganiot & Donuts
Sufganiot, especially popular in Israel, are deep-fried jelly donuts that are traditionally eaten during the festival of Hanukkah. The oil used to fry the donuts are reminiscent of the oil that miraculously burned, according to the Hanukkah story, for 8 days in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.
In Israel you can purchase them from supermarkets, corner bakeries and high-end boutique bakeries, ranging in price from 1NIS – 15NIS each and if you really want to impress someone, there is the sufgania decorated with gold-leaf that sells for 100NIS (each) from Dudu Outmezgine.
Whether you say doughnuts or donuts, you’ll end up with the same delicious result. Calorie value of one plain, unglazed donut: around 300 per 100g.
Sufganiot – Jam Donuts
Ingredients
- 25 grams (1 ounce) yeast
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. water
- 1 Tbsp. flour
- 3 cups flour
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) margarine, melted
- Dash of salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/4 cups water (room temperature)
- Jelly/jam
- Oil for frying
- Powdered sugar
PreparationTo make the dough:
- Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl. Mix well, cover, and wait until it rises.
- In another bowl, mix 3 cups of flour with the melted margarine, salt, sugar and egg yolks.
- Combine the yeast mixture with the flour mixture. Slowly add water while stirring. When dough is smooth, cover the bowl with a towel and let it sit and rise.
To make the doughnuts:
- After the dough has risen, pour it onto a floured surface and roll it out. Use a glass with a small opening to cut out circles of the dough.
- Place a drop of jelly in the middle of each circle, and then cover with another circle of dough.
- Make sure that 2 circles attach well to form a closed ball with jelly in the middle. Cover the doughnuts with a towel and let rise.
To fry the doughnuts:
- Heat oil in a deep pot until very hot.
- Drop the doughnuts into the oil and fry on both sides until brown.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Chef’sTip
These sufganiot are only good fresh so eat them on the same day. So, once you have made the dough, fry only a few at a time, as required. Store the remaining dough in the refrigerator to use again the next day.
Doughnuts With Old English Spice
If you enjoy cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice you will love this recipe. The great thing about it is that these spices are combined with the sugar for dusting. So if you are not partial to the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice combination, you can just leave them out. This is a Jamie Oliver recipe from his book – Cooking with Jamie.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 oz packet active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup super fine sugar
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp tepid milk
- Zest of 2 lemons
- Zest of 1 orange
- 5 1/2 tbsp butter, softened and cubed
- 1 3/4 pints vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp all-spice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 vanilla bean, scored lengthwise, seeds removed
Preparation
- Place the yeast in a bowl with a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of flour and mix in the warm milk (can substitute (water or almond milk, oatmeal milk etc.). Put in a warm spot until mixture is frothy.
- In another bowl, mix the flour, sugar, lemon, orange zest and butter. Add the yeast mixture.. Gently mix with a spoon and then knead with your hands to make a smooth ball. If the dough is too sticky, add a little flour.
- Place dough ball into a bowl, cover the bowl with a damp towel or cling wrap and allow it to rise for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, make the flavored sugar by mixing all ingredients in a bowl and set it aside.
- Once the dough had doubled in size, knock it back by pushing or punching the air out of it. (Ultimately, this will allow the dough to rise again and the doughnuts will be light and fluffy).
- On a floured surface, roll the dough out until it’s about 1/2 inch thick.
- Cut out about 25 little holes with a glass rim or cookie cutter- about 2″ in diameter. Place on greased cookie sheet and place damp cloth on top and allow to double in size, about 45 minutes.
- Once they have doubled in size. Use a chop stick to form a hole in the middle of each circle of dough.
- Time to fry – BE CAREFUL!!! Heat oil in a deep, heavy saucepan. Check oil temperature by dropping a small piece of left over dough into the oil. If it drops and pops back up right away and turns golden after about 1 minute, the oil is hot enough.
- Fry doughnuts in batches for about 2 minutes at a time, removing them with a slotted spoon, and setting on paper napkins to drain.
- While still hot, dust with flavored sugar and eat warm.
Chef’s Tip
Don’t overcrowd the saucepan when frying. You need space to lever and turn the doughnuts while they are cooking.
Rachel Ray’s Banana Donuts
Rachel’s recipe calls for a donut pan – if you cannot find one in a specialized kitchenware store, you can buy one online.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups flour, and a little more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (approx. 4 bananas)
- 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup shortening (butter or parev margarine) at room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Preparation
- Preheat the oven 160 C.
- Grease 2 nonstick, 6-count doughnut pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs, 1 1/4 cups mashed bananas, 2 teaspoons vanilla and the oil.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
- Spoon the batter about three-quarters full into the prepared pans.
- Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out dry, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool completely on a rack.
Glaze
Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the shortening (butter or margarine), powdered sugar, the remaining 1/2 cup banana, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and the lemon juice. Glaze the doughnuts with the frosting.
