For Hanukkah celebration in Israel, special doughnuts, called Sufganiyot, are even more popular than latkes. My special recipe features doughnuts, dusted with powdered sugar and pink sprinkles, with three different fillings - strawberry jelly, blackberry jelly, and chocolate. At my daughter’s pre-school holiday party, these delicious doughnuts seemed to “magically” disappear.
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon sugar
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg
2 teaspoons butter, melted
Chocolate chunks, strawberry and/or blackberry jelly
Vegetable oil
Confectioner’s sugar
Sprinkles (optional)
Directions:
Warm ¼ cup of milk, add sugar and sprinkle yeast. Mix to blend. Let the mixture stand until foamy, about 8-10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, cinnamon, egg, the rest of milk, melted butter and yeast mixture. Mix until a ball forms. Cover and put it in a warm place for at least an hour and a half and let the dough rise.
On a floured surface, divide the dough into 3 or 4 parts. Shape each into a thin roll, then cut it into 1 inch pieces and flatten each into a rounded disk. Place just a little bit filling (chocolate chunks or jelly) inside, close, and shape into a ball.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot to reach at least 2 inches. Drop doughnuts in oil, 6 at a time. Fry until deep golden, turning occasionally. Dust with Confectioners’ sugar and sprinkles (optional). Eat while still warm.
