How I Upgraded my Sufganiyot

It’s time for the Festival of Lights yet again. Every year, it arrives on the calendar as happy days that bring us together. It’s a time of celebration, but also for remembrance, and a reminder of the hard fight for freedoms important to Jews around the world. That includes the freedom to deep fry foods.

We learn as children that the observance exists as a commemoration of the rededication of the Second Temple. We’re honoring the Maccabees, who overcame so much, and we do so by eating. A nice progression if you ask me.

Your table may be laden with latkes, buneulos, and if you’re lucky, sufganiyot – singular sufganiyah, which is obviously a silly word, because who has one doughnut? In Yiddish, they’re called ponchiks and panzerotti in Italian.

What we eat these days, started as a quick treat in Germany before it was brought to Israel. The confection evolved along with the local Sephardic tastes into today’s recognizable jelly-filled treat. The popularity is no surprise; it’s pillowy fried dough, bright and sweet jam and a dusting of sugar. What’s not to like?

But what about those times you’re done with the sugar? When you want something savory? I’m here to help. Without much of a sweet tooth, I have always gravitated toward tastes like this. The wild and  unexpected.

Sufganiyot in the most classic form deserves a place of honor on every table (and trays. And buffets), but it’s also nice to change things up. We are tied to tradition and yet free to make things our own. This year, skip the bakery and spend time making something you will truly love.

Here I have one base recipe and five variations that are all worth trying. All at once or on their own. The fillings fill about 5-6 donuts when piped.

The Basic Dough

(for all recipes)

Makes 12-15 doughnuts

Ingredients

18 ounces all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling)

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water, room temperature

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/4 cup olive oil

2 eggs room temperature

1 teaspoon sugar

1 quart oil for frying

Directions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the dry ingredients except the salt.
2. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients, plus the salt.
3. With the mixer on low, add half the wet ingredients to the dry. Stir for a moment and add the remaining wet ingredients.
4. Knead on medium for 3 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Remove the bowl, cover with plastic. Set in a warm space and let rise for 1 hour.
6. Roll the dough into 12-15 balls on a lightly floured surface. Flatten the balls and roll into 3-inch wide disks.
7. Arrange on a baking sheet, cover with plastic and let rise for an additional 20 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot to 350F.
9. Deep-fry the sufganiyot for about a minute on each side until they puff up and are browned.
10. Remove and drain on a wire rack. When cool enough to handle, fill using a piping bag.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Peanut Butter and Jelly

For this twist on the classic sufganiyot, you’ll be making a peanut butter pastry cream that can be piped into the cooled. I tried it with straight peanut butter and it just didn’t work. You do need to make sure that you use the commercial-style peanut butter that is absolutely creamy. You’re eating a doughnut, now is not the time to worry about being healthy. Get that sugar!

Ingredients

2 ounces unsalted butter, softened

2 ounces creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 ounces powdered sugar

4 ounces prepared jam

½ cup peanuts, chopped, for garnish

Directions:

1. To make the peanut butter cream, simply add the butter, peanut butter, honey, salt and powdered sugar to a stand mixer and whip until thoroughly mixed. Add to a piping bag and set aside.
2. Add your jam – I like to use strawberry – to another pastry bag.
3. Fill the donuts with about a teaspoon each of the fillings.
4. Top with chopped peanuts and serve.

Boozy Jam with Rosemary

This filling captures the brightness of the season with cranberries, rosemary and a splash of perky booze. You can use whisky, Contreau or whatever tickles your fancy. And these are very fancy. Serve with roasted, spiced nuts, or with a log of your favorite goat cheese.

Ingredients

1 cup prepared cranberry sauce

1 tablespoon whisky or Contreau

1 teaspoon minced rosemary

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the cranberry sauce, alcohol and minced rosemary.
2. Let simmer for 1 minute and remove from the heat to cool.
3. Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the orange zest and sugar.
4. Using your hands, rub the orange zest into the sugar until the sugar takes on a slight orange tint. Set aside.
5. Add the cooled cranberry sauce to a pipping bag and pipe into the sufganiyot.
6. Serve immediately.