A Sweet Treat at Hanukkah

November 11, 2015

The season of Hanukkah is filled with special traditions, many involving food. Sufganiyot, or jelly-filled doughnuts, commemorate the miracle of a single day’s supply of oil which kept the Temple’s menorah lit for seven days until more could be prepared.

Each year bakeries in Israel vie to see who can make the most interesting or unique sufganiyot. Roladin bakery, a family-owned business known across Israel for its elaborate pastries, is taking this competition to the next level.

We’ve chosen to highlight their classic, strawberry-filled sufganiyot for this month’s recipe. Roladin’s gourmet sufganiyot are masterpieces of creativity and beauty. Pictured at the top of the page are Roladin’s sufganiyot—Chocolate Bianco, Red Forest, Crunchy Bunch and Dulce de Leche. To see more, visit their website at www.roladin.co.il.

Roladin’s Classic Sufganiyot 

Dough:
1 kg. (8 c.)                  white flour
1 c.                              cold water
½ c.                             sugar
2                                  eggs
1 tsp.                           salt
60 gr (4 tbsp.)            moist yeast
90 gr (6 ½ tbsp.)        margarine or butter
1 tsp.                           brandy
1 tsp.                           vanilla extract
1 tsp.                           rum extract

Filling: – jar of strawberry jam

Preparation of the dough:

Put flour, sugar and moist yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer and stir for a minute.

Add cold water, eggs, extracts and brandy. Continue to blend for 3 minutes at low speed.

Blend at high speed for additional 3 minutes.

Add salt, margarine and blend 4 minutes at high speed.

Form balls weighing 50 gr (1.75 oz.) and place on a plate smeared with oil,  4–5 cm (1½–2 in.) apart.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and a towel, and let rise for two hours at room temperature (25–30°C [77–86°F]).

Heat canola oil for deep frying. Thermometer should measure 170°C (340°F). Watch temperature carefully so as not to burn the sufganiyot.

Fry for 2 minutes on each side of the sufganiyot . Fry rounded top-side first until it becomes a golden brown dome. Then turn to fry the bottom side. Drain on paper towels.

Use a pastry tube or squeeze bottle to inject strawberry jam into sufganiyot and sprinkle with powdered sugar

Makes about 30 sufganiyot

Source: Janet Aslin, Assistant Editor

Photo Credit: Recipe and photos by www.roladin.co.il