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COOKING LESSONS FROM THE KITCHN
How To Make Jelly Doughnuts (Sufganiyot)
by TAMI WEISER
1
(placeholder)
(Image credit: Lauren Volo)
Sufganiyot are Israeli jelly doughnuts that are common Hanukkah holiday fare. Crisp on the
outside, fluffy and tender and bursting with jelly, fresh doughnuts are a divine treat you can
make at home when you wan to spend an afternoon baking.
(placeholder)
(Image credit: Lauren Volo)
Hanukkah and Fried Food
Fried foods, particularly those fried in olive oil, are traditional for Hanukkah because of the key
part oil plays in the holiday story (the Jews were able to recapture their central Temple in
Jerusalem, but there was only enough oil to kindle the lights for one day, yet it lasted a
miraculous eight days).
For Jews across the globe, fried foods abound this time of year, but the interpretations vary
widely. In Eastern Europe and Russia, potato pancakes, or latkes, were common and they have
remained holiday fare in the United States over the past century. Latkes are eaten in Israel, but
jelly doughnuts, unsurprisingly, steal the show.
What Are Sufganiyot?
Adding to their holiday significance, these jelly doughnuts have a unique history and offer a look
at different ways to make jelly doughnuts. Sufganiyot were likely carried to Israel by immigrant
bakers perhaps a century ago. European Jews had no significant tradition of eating sweet fried
foods for Hanukkah, but Jews from the Middle East and Mediterranean and other far-flung
areas, by and large, ate fried sweets for Hanukkah.
When these traditions came together in Israel, the custom of eating jelly doughnuts evolved and
was integrated across all the Jewish cultures there. About four decades ago, American Jews
were captivated by the crispy and sweet charms of sufganiyot, and today, sufganiyot are
commonly served alongside latkes for the holiday.
Starting with the Dough
The dough for these doughnuts is a lot like a bread dough. It will work beautifully in a stand
mixer, but not well at all with a handheld electric mixer. If you don’t mind using a little elbow
grease, you can try kneading this dough by hand, but a stand mixer is your best option.
(placeholder)
(Image credit: Lauren Volo)
How to Fry Doughnuts
Frying enriched doughs can be challenging, even for very experienced cooks. The sugars can
caramelize on the outside, making the dough dark before the enriched inside cooks.
There are two things built into this recipe to help you. First, the dough is really only partially
proofed each time, so it will get the most poof and spring once it hits the heat and will be very
light and fluffy inside, so it can cook through with ease.
Second, the heat is a bit lower than most frying recipes — not low enough to be greasy or to
absorb a huge amount of oil, but not high enough to over-brown the outside. Now, that does
mean that you have to be vigilant about the oil temperature and check it constantly and increase
or reduce heat as necessary. It’s not simple, I know, but it will ensure the best results.
The pot used for this recipe was a coated six-quart cast iron pot, about 10 inches wide and five
inches deep, and the oil was about two-and-a-half inches deep. That was enough to fry four
doughnuts at a time without any of them touching, and still left plenty of room to turn them. Cast
iron holds heat incredibly well and is great for frying. You can use a larger, wider pot, up to
seven-and-a-half quarts, but make sure you use enough oil to come at least two-and-a-half
inches up the side of the pot and that you can fry five at a time.
(placeholder)
(Image credit: Lauren Volo)
Filling Jelly Doughnuts
Some sufganiyot makers fill their doughnuts Berliner-style — two thin discs with a dab of jelly in
between. Expert bakers can ace this style, but frankly, I don’t go there. The problem is that the
discs tend to leak, and if even a little bit of the jelly gets into the hot oil, it will burn and you’ll
need new oil for subsequent batches, not to mention stopping to deal with hot, now-yucky oil. I
make sure that my sufganiyot are all but guaranteed to succeed. I fill a pastry bag with jelly,
poke the doughnuts with its sharp tip, and squeeze the jelly into the fried doughnut. Making
sufganiyot simply works better with this less-traditional technique.
How To Make Jelly Doughnuts (Sufganiyot): gallery image 1How To Make Jelly Doughnuts
(Sufganiyot): gallery image 1
Proof the yeast. Place the water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment. Mix on low speed just until combined, 3 or 4 turns. Let sit until bubbly, foamy, and
smells strongly of yeast, 5 to 7 minutes.
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VIEW ALL 17 SLIDES
I made this!
1 Rating
How To Make Jelly Doughnuts (Sufganiyot)
MAKES
22 doughnuts
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup warm water (between 90°F and 100°F)
2 (1/4-ounce) packets instant or active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or 1/4 cup mild-flavored oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1/2 medium lemon
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
9 cups peanut, avocado, or canola oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 cup seedless red berry jelly, such as strawberry or raspberry
1/3 cup powdered sugar
EQUIPMENT
Kitchen scale
Measuring cups and spoons
Stand mixer
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Plastic wrap
Kitchen towels
2 rimmed baking sheets
Parchment paper
3- to 3 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, or 3-inch-wide drinking glass
Resealable plastic bag
Pastry brush
Flat spatula
6-quart Dutch oven
Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer
Paper towels
Rimmed baking sheet or heat-resistant platter
Kitchen spider or a heat-resistant slotted spoon
Cooling rack
Pastry bag fitted with a small sharp tip, or a squeeze bottle with small firm tip
INSTRUCTIONS
Proof the yeast. Place the water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment. Mix on low speed just until combined, 3 or 4 turns. Let sit until bubbly, foamy, and
smells strongly of yeast, 5 to 7 minutes.
Mix the dry ingredients. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in very large bowl and whisk until
combined; set aside.
Add the milk, butter, oil, and flavorings. Add the milk, melted butter or oil, vanilla, and zest to
thee yeast and mix on medium speed until fully combined.
Add the eggs. Add the eggs and mix on low speed until fully combined, about 1 minute.
Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture on low speed, 1 to 1 1/2 cups at a time,
increasing the speed to medium and mixing until fully combined before adding more of the flour
mixture back on low speed. After the first 3 cups have been added or when the dough no longer
mixes with ease, switch the paddle to the dough hook. Stop the mixer as needed to scrape the
bottom and sides of the mixer bowl with a rubber spatula.
Knead the dough. Knead the dough on low to medium-low speed until shiny, very smooth, soft
but not mushy, and noticeably elastic, 6 to 7 minutes. This is a tacky dough, and it will wrap
around the dough hook and clear the side of the mixer bowl, but it will stick to the bottom.
Rise and rest the dough. Transfer the dough to a clean, very large bowl. Cover lightly with
plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Refrigerate for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. It will increase in size to almost
1 1/2 times the original volume. This is a slow and partial rise that will allow the dough enough
time to rest.
Get ready to roll the dough. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust a work
surface and rolling pin lightly with flour and scoop the dough onto the work surface. After
chilling, the dough will no longer feel tacky, but soft, supple, and easy to handle.
Roll and cut the dough. Divide the dough into 2 portions, each about 30 ounces. Wrap 1 portion
in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Roll out the other about 3/4-inch thick. Dip a 3- to 3 1/4-inch
round cookie cutter or 3-inch-wide drinking glass into some flour, and cut out 8 rounds. Place
the remaining dough in a resealable plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate.
Rise the dough again. Dust any excess flour off the doughnuts with a pastry brush. Spray a flat
spatula with cooking spray, and use it to transfer the dough rounds to the prepared baking
sheets. Handling the cut doughnuts without stretching can be tricky, but if they are slightly
misshapen, re-form them into rounds on the baking sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towels and
allow to rise until they expand about 25 percent, about 15 minutes.
Set up the frying area. Pour 8 cups of the oil into a deep, wide 6-quart Dutch oven. The oil
should be at least 2 1/2 inches deep and no more than halfway up the side. Fit a deep-fry
thermometer in the oil, making sure it does not touch the bottom of the pot. If you are using an
instant-read thermometer, position it up near the stovetop. Line a heat-resistant platter or
another baking sheet with paper towels and set it near the stove. Have a kitchen spider or a
heat-resistant slotted spoon ready. Set a cooling rack over more paper towels in the work area.
Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 355°F to 360°F. Adjust the heat as needed during
frying to stay within this temperature range.
Fry the doughnuts. Using the spider or slotted spoon, gently place 4 doughnuts, one at a time,
into the oil, being careful not to splatter the hot oil and making sure they don't touch each other.
If the temperature drops below 350°F, turn the heat up quickly to get it back between 355°F and
360°F. The doughnuts will begin to expand as soon as they touch the oil. When they are
golden-brown, after about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, carefully turn them with the spider or slotted
spoon, and fry the second side, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until they are deep golden-brown on
the other side, crisp on the outside, and cooked through. With the spider or slotted spoon,
carefully transfer the doughnuts to the towel-lined platter. Gently place the remaining 4
doughnuts into the oil and repeat the frying process. When the first 4 doughnuts are cool
enough to touch, transfer them to the cooling rack. When the second batch is fried, transfer to
the towel-lined platter to cool. Turn the heat off from under the oil. Let the first batch of
doughnuts cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
Repeat making more doughnuts. Roll and cut the second piece of dough, saving the excess in
the same plastic bag in the refrigerator as the first batch. Repeat rising and frying the second
batch. Turn the heat off after frying the last doughnut.
Use the scraps for 1 more batch. Dust the work surface lightly with flour again. Place the
refrigerated scraps from the first two batches on the work surface and knead together, about 1
minute. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 3 minutes while you reheat
the oil to 355°F to 360°F. Dust the rolling pin with flour again, roll the dough 3/4-inch thick, and
cut 4 more doughnuts. (There will be a little bit of dough left, which would be great for doughnut
hole treats for the "chef.") Allow to rise for 15 minutes. Fry, drain, and cool. Keep the batches
separate so you can easily fill the ones that have cooled while the others are still cooling.
Fill the doughnuts. Transfer the jelly into a pastry bag fitted with a small, sharp tip or a squeeze
bottle with small, firm tip. Insert the tip into the side of one of the cooled doughnuts and squeeze
for 2 to 3 seconds, or until you see a small dab of jelly at the point of entry. Place the filled
doughnut back on the cooling rack or on a clean plate and repeat with all of the doughnuts,
working with the second and third batches only after they have cooled.
Dust with powdered sugar. Liberally dust the filled doughnuts with powdered sugar before
serving.
RECIPE NOTES
Storage: These homemade doughnuts are best — really best — eaten within about 2 hours of
frying, but they will keep and be fresh for about 8 hours.
SHOW NUTRITION
PUBLISHED: DEC 6, 2018
FOOD
BREAKFAST
BUTTER
CHILDREN
1
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COOKING LESSONS FROM THE KITCHN
How To Make Jelly Doughnuts
(Sufganiyot)
by TAMI WEISER
1
(Image credit: Lauren Volo)
Sufganiyot are Israeli jelly doughnuts that are common Hanukkah
holiday fare. Crisp on the outside, fluffy and tender and bursting with
jelly, fresh doughnuts are a divine treat you can make at home when
you wan to spend an afternoon baking.
(Image credit: Lauren Volo)
Hanukkah and Fried Food
Fried foods, particularly those fried in olive oil, are traditional for
Hanukkah because of the key part oil plays in the holiday story (the
Jews were able to recapture their central Temple in Jerusalem, but
there was only enough oil to kindle the lights for one day, yet it lasted
a miraculous eight days).
For Jews across the globe, fried foods abound this time of year, but the
interpretations vary widely. In Eastern Europe and Russia, potato
pancakes, or latkes, were common and they have remained holiday
fare in the United States over the past century. Latkes are eaten in
Israel, but jelly doughnuts, unsurprisingly, steal the show.
What Are Sufganiyot?
Adding to their holiday significance, these jelly doughnuts have a
unique history and offer a look at different ways to make jelly
doughnuts. Sufganiyot were likely carried to Israel by immigrant
bakers perhaps a century ago. European Jews had no significant
tradition of eating sweet fried foods for Hanukkah, but Jews from the
Middle East and Mediterranean and other far-flung areas, by and
large, ate fried sweets for Hanukkah.
When these traditions came together in Israel, the custom of eating
jelly doughnuts evolved and was integrated across all the Jewish
cultures there. About four decades ago, American Jews were
captivated by the crispy and sweet charms of sufganiyot, and today,
sufganiyot are commonly served alongside latkes for the holiday.
Starting with the Dough
The dough for these doughnuts is a lot like a bread dough. It will work
beautifully in a stand mixer, but not well at all with a handheld electric
mixer. If you don’t mind using a little elbow grease, you can try
kneading this dough by hand, but a stand mixer is your best option.
(Image credit: Lauren Volo)
How to Fry Doughnuts
Frying enriched doughs can be challenging, even for very experienced
cooks. The sugars can caramelize on the outside, making the dough
dark before the enriched inside cooks.
There are two things built into this recipe to help you. First, the dough
is really only partially proofed each time, so it will get the most poof
and spring once it hits the heat and will be very light and fluffy inside,
so it can cook through with ease.
Second, the heat is a bit lower than most frying recipes — not low
enough to be greasy or to absorb a huge amount of oil, but not high
enough to over-brown the outside. Now, that does mean that you have
to be vigilant about the oil temperature and check it constantly and
increase or reduce heat as necessary. It’s not simple, I know, but it will
ensure the best results.
The pot used for this recipe was a coated six-quart cast iron pot, about
10 inches wide and five inches deep, and the oil was about
two-and-a-half inches deep. That was enough to fry four doughnuts at
a time without any of them touching, and still left plenty of room to
turn them. Cast iron holds heat incredibly well and is great for frying.
You can use a larger, wider pot, up to seven-and-a-half quarts, but
make sure you use enough oil to come at least two-and-a-half inches
up the side of the pot and that you can fry five at a time.
(Image credit: Lauren Volo)
Filling Jelly Doughnuts
Some sufganiyot makers fill their doughnuts Berliner-style — two thin
discs with a dab of jelly in between. Expert bakers can ace this style,
but frankly, I don’t go there. The problem is that the discs tend to leak,
and if even a little bit of the jelly gets into the hot oil, it will burn and
you’ll need new oil for subsequent batches, not to mention stopping to
deal with hot, now-yucky oil. I make sure that my sufganiyot are all
but guaranteed to succeed. I fill a pastry bag with jelly, poke the
doughnuts with its sharp tip, and squeeze the jelly into the fried
doughnut. Making sufganiyot simply works better with this
less-traditional technique.
Proof the yeast. Place the water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the
paddle attachment. Mix on low speed just until combined, 3 or 4 turns. Let sit until
bubbly, foamy, and smells strongly of yeast, 5 to 7 minutes.
1 of 17
2 of 17
3 of 17
4 of 17
5 of 17
6 of 17
7 of 17
8 of 17
9 of 17
10 of 17
11 of 17
12 of 17
13 of 17
14 of 17
15 of 17
16 of 17
17 of 17
VIEW ALL 17 SLIDES
I made this!
1 Rating
●
●
●
●
●
How To Make Jelly Doughnuts
(Sufganiyot)
MAKES22 doughnuts
INGREDIENTS
● 1/2 cup warm water (between 90°F and 100°F)
● 2 (1/4-ounce) packets instant or active dry yeast (4 1/2
teaspoons)
● 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
● 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
● 1 teaspoon salt
● 1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
● 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or 1/4 cup mild-flavored
oil
● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
● Finely grated zest of 1/2 medium lemon
● 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
● 9 cups peanut, avocado, or canola oil, divided
● Cooking spray
● 1 cup seedless red berry jelly, such as strawberry or raspberry
● 1/3 cup powdered sugar
EQUIPMENT
● Kitchen scale
● Measuring cups and spoons
● Stand mixer
● Mixing bowls
● Whisk
● Rubber spatula
● Plastic wrap
● Kitchen towels
● 2 rimmed baking sheets
● Parchment paper
● 3- to 3 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, or 3-inch-wide drinking
glass
● Resealable plastic bag
● Pastry brush
● Flat spatula
● 6-quart Dutch oven
● Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer
● Paper towels
● Rimmed baking sheet or heat-resistant platter
● Kitchen spider or a heat-resistant slotted spoon
● Cooling rack
● Pastry bag fitted with a small sharp tip, or a squeeze bottle with
small firm tip
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Proof the yeast. Place the water and yeast in the bowl of a
stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed
just until combined, 3 or 4 turns. Let sit until bubbly, foamy, and
smells strongly of yeast, 5 to 7 minutes.
2.
3. Mix the dry ingredients. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in
very large bowl and whisk until combined; set aside.
4.
5. Add the milk, butter, oil, and flavorings. Add the milk,
melted butter or oil, vanilla, and zest to thee yeast and mix on
medium speed until fully combined.
6.
7. Add the eggs. Add the eggs and mix on low speed until fully
combined, about 1 minute.
8.
9. Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture on low speed,
1 to 1 1/2 cups at a time, increasing the speed to medium and
mixing until fully combined before adding more of the flour
mixture back on low speed. After the first 3 cups have been
added or when the dough no longer mixes with ease, switch the
paddle to the dough hook. Stop the mixer as needed to scrape the
bottom and sides of the mixer bowl with a rubber spatula.
10.
11.Knead the dough. Knead the dough on low to medium-low
speed until shiny, very smooth, soft but not mushy, and
noticeably elastic, 6 to 7 minutes. This is a tacky dough, and it
will wrap around the dough hook and clear the side of the mixer
bowl, but it will stick to the bottom.
12.
13. Rise and rest the dough. Transfer the dough to a clean,
very large bowl. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and a kitchen
towel. Refrigerate for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. It will increase in size to
almost 1 1/2 times the original volume. This is a slow and partial
rise that will allow the dough enough time to rest.
14.
15. Get ready to roll the dough. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets
with parchment paper. Dust a work surface and rolling pin
lightly with flour and scoop the dough onto the work surface.
After chilling, the dough will no longer feel tacky, but soft,
supple, and easy to handle.
16.
17. Roll and cut the dough. Divide the dough into 2 portions,
each about 30 ounces. Wrap 1 portion in plastic wrap and
refrigerate. Roll out the other about 3/4-inch thick. Dip a 3- to 3
1/4-inch round cookie cutter or 3-inch-wide drinking glass into
some flour, and cut out 8 rounds. Place the remaining dough in a
resealable plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate.
18.
19. Rise the dough again. Dust any excess flour off the
doughnuts with a pastry brush. Spray a flat spatula with cooking
spray, and use it to transfer the dough rounds to the prepared
baking sheets. Handling the cut doughnuts without stretching
can be tricky, but if they are slightly misshapen, re-form them
into rounds on the baking sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towels
and allow to rise until they expand about 25 percent, about 15
minutes.
20.
21. Set up the frying area. Pour 8 cups of the oil into a deep,
wide 6-quart Dutch oven. The oil should be at least 2 1/2 inches
deep and no more than halfway up the side. Fit a deep-fry
thermometer in the oil, making sure it does not touch the bottom
of the pot. If you are using an instant-read thermometer, position
it up near the stovetop. Line a heat-resistant platter or another
baking sheet with paper towels and set it near the stove. Have a
kitchen spider or a heat-resistant slotted spoon ready. Set a
cooling rack over more paper towels in the work area. Heat the
oil over medium heat until it reaches 355°F to 360°F. Adjust the
heat as needed during frying to stay within this temperature
range.
22.
23. Fry the doughnuts. Using the spider or slotted spoon,
gently place 4 doughnuts, one at a time, into the oil, being careful
not to splatter the hot oil and making sure they don't touch each
other. If the temperature drops below 350°F, turn the heat up
quickly to get it back between 355°F and 360°F. The doughnuts
will begin to expand as soon as they touch the oil. When they are
golden-brown, after about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, carefully turn them
with the spider or slotted spoon, and fry the second side, about 1
1/2 to 2 minutes, until they are deep golden-brown on the other
side, crisp on the outside, and cooked through. With the spider
or slotted spoon, carefully transfer the doughnuts to the
towel-lined platter. Gently place the remaining 4 doughnuts into
the oil and repeat the frying process. When the first 4 doughnuts
are cool enough to touch, transfer them to the cooling rack.
When the second batch is fried, transfer to the towel-lined platter
to cool. Turn the heat off from under the oil. Let the first batch of
doughnuts cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
24.
25. Repeat making more doughnuts. Roll and cut the second
piece of dough, saving the excess in the same plastic bag in the
refrigerator as the first batch. Repeat rising and frying the second
batch. Turn the heat off after frying the last doughnut.
26.
27. Use the scraps for 1 more batch. Dust the work surface
lightly with flour again. Place the refrigerated scraps from the
first two batches on the work surface and knead together, about 1
minute. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and allow to rest
for 3 minutes while you reheat the oil to 355°F to 360°F. Dust
the rolling pin with flour again, roll the dough 3/4-inch thick,
and cut 4 more doughnuts. (There will be a little bit of dough left,
which would be great for doughnut hole treats for the "chef.")
Allow to rise for 15 minutes. Fry, drain, and cool. Keep the
batches separate so you can easily fill the ones that have cooled
while the others are still cooling.
28.
29. Fill the doughnuts. Transfer the jelly into a pastry bag
fitted with a small, sharp tip or a squeeze bottle with small, firm
tip. Insert the tip into the side of one of the cooled doughnuts
and squeeze for 2 to 3 seconds, or until you see a small dab of
jelly at the point of entry. Place the filled doughnut back on the
cooling rack or on a clean plate and repeat with all of the
doughnuts, working with the second and third batches only after
they have cooled.
30.
31. Dust with powdered sugar. Liberally dust the filled
doughnuts with powdered sugar before serving.
32.
RECIPE NOTES
Storage: These homemade doughnuts are best — really best — eaten
within about 2 hours of frying, but they will keep and be fresh for
about 8 hours.
SHOW NUTRITION
PUBLISHED: DEC 6, 2018
● FOOD
● BREAKFAST
● BUTTER
● CHILDREN
1
Loading...
Loading...
Follow us
Got a tip, kitchen tour, or other story our readers should see?TELL US ABOUT IT!
● READ
● RECIPES
● FOOD
● HOME
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● FAMILY
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● CONTACT
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