Hanukkah Sufganiyot Recipes

Steps:

• Microwave the milk in a small bowl until 105 to 110 degrees F. Stir in the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk together the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
• Add the yeast mixture, butter, vanilla, zest, egg, egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to the flour mixture. Mix with a spoon until the dough just comes together, about 1 minute. (It's OK if a little of the flour remains loose at the bottom of the bowl, it will all come together while kneading.) Knead the dough on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a smooth ball, about 1 minute. Lightly spray the mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray and return the dough to the bowl; cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently roll out into a 1/2-inch-thick round. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut the rounds out as closely together as possible. Place the rounds about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
• Lightly spray the tops with the cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again until puffed, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. The dough rounds may not increase in size during this proofing, which is fine. The point is to let the dough rest before frying, resulting in pillowy doughnuts.
• To fry the doughnuts: Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels for draining. Put 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl for coating the fried doughnuts.
• Fill a large, heavy bottomed pot with 3 inches vegetable oil (about 8 cups) and insert a deep-fry thermometer. Place over medium-high heat and bring the oil temperature to 345 to 350 degrees F. Do not let the oil get any hotter than 350 degrees or the outside of the doughnuts will burn before the insides are cooked through.
• Working in batches of 3 to 4, carefully slip the dough rounds into the hot oil, being careful not to let the oil splash up. Fry the doughnuts until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to gently flip the doughnuts over and fry until deep golden brown on the other side, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the doughnuts the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Return the oil to temperature between batches.
• Roll the warm doughnuts in the sugar to coat, then transfer them back to the baking sheet. Using a chopstick or skewer, poke a hole in the top of the donut, wiggling the stick back and forth to form a little pocket. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip with the jam of your choice and gently squeeze about 2 tablespoons into the side of each doughnut until the jam just peaks out from the hole on top. Dust the filled doughnuts with confectioners' sugar, if using, and serve hot.

Steps:

• For the sponge: In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and yeast, whisking until the yeast is dissolved and there are no lumps. Add the flour and using a spatula, combine until uniform. The mixture will be the consistency of pancake batter. Cover with plastic and let it sit at room temperature until bubbly, and the mixture has grown by about half its volume. This will take 20 to 25 minutes.
• For the dough: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Mix on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs and yolks, and mix again at medium speed for 1 minute. The eggs and yolks will not fully emulsify with the butter mixture, and it will resemble very wet scrambled eggs. This is ok!
• Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom again with the spatula, then add all of the flour and mix until just combined, about 10 seconds on low speed. Remove the paddle, scraping off any of the butter, egg and flour mixture back into the bowl. Switch to the dough hook and add all of the sponge. Turn the mixer on low speed and mix, kneading the dough into a smooth ball. This will take 20 to 25 minutes. You can stop the mixer halfway through and scrape down the sides with a spatula to make sure everything is fully incorporated.
• Lightly spray the top of the dough with neutral cooking spray and cover with plastic. Let it proof at room temperature until doubled in size, usually 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Gently punch down the dough, transfer to a large bowl lightly sprayed with neutral cooking spray, cover with plastic and transfer to the fridge for 3 hours or overnight.
• When you're ready to fry, set up 2 sheet trays. Cut 16 to 18 squares of parchment paper, about 3 inches square, and spray each with neutral cooking spray. Line them up on the sheet trays, without overlapping. Remove the dough from the fridge and gently turn it out onto a floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour and gently roll it out into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. This dough rolls best cold. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, punch out circles of dough, cutting 16 to 18 rounds.
• Place the cut rounds on the squares of parchment, giving each its own square. Spray the rounds with a little neutral cooking spray and cover loosely with plastic. Allow them to proof at room temperature until doubled in size and light to the touch, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• When the dough is proofed, heat the oil in a deep pot until a deep-frying thermometer registers 350 degrees F. While it heats up, set up a sheet tray with a resting rack right by the stove. Keep a slotted spoon handy.
• When the oil is hot, pick up the rounds of dough on their parchment paper squares and carefully drop about 5 rounds at a time into the hot oil. The parchment will separate itself from the dough as it starts to fry, and you can fish it out and discard as you go. This makes transferring them to the oil very easy. Allow them to fry, flipping them with the slotted spoon, for 3 minutes on each side. They should be deep golden brown. Use the spoon to transfer them to the resting rack when done. Repeat until all the dough is fried.
• For the fillings and toppings: Place the sugar in a mixing bowl. Once the sufganiyot are cool enough to handle, gently roll each in the sugar, coating well. It's fine if they're warm when you do this. Transfer to a clean tray to continue cooling.
• Fit a piping bag with a Bismark piping tip. Fill your piping bag with your filling of choice. Once the sufganiyot are cooled to room temperature, use the piping tip to poke a hole into the side or top (a style preference) of each, and squeeze in the filling, being careful to not overfill. Repeat until all the sufganiyot are filled. Best enjoyed the day they're made!

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast and 2 tablespoons of the sugar into the water or milk and stir to dissolve.
• Place the flour on a work surface and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, salt, cinnamon, and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Knead well, about 5 minutes, working the butter or margarine into the dough and kneading until the dough is elastic. You can also use a food processor fitted with the steel blade to do this, processing about 2 minutes.
• Put the dough on a greased bowl, cover with plastic, and let it rise overnight in the refrigerator.
• Sprinkle flour of the work surface. Roll out the dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. using a 2-inch cookie cutter or floured drinking glass, cut out circles. Let the dough circles rise 15 minutes or more.
• With your hands, gently form the dough circles into balls.
• Pour 2-inches of oil into a heavy pot and heat until very hot, about 375 degrees.
• Slip the doughnuts into the oil, 4 or 5 at a time, using a slotted spoon. Turn them when brown, after a few minutes, to crisp on the other side. Drain on paper towels.
• Using a turkey baster, a pastry bag, or an injector, inject a teaspoon of jam into each doughnut. Then roll all of them in granulated sugar and serve immediately. You can make larger sufganiyot if you like.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm milk in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until foamy. Add remaining 1/4 cup warm milk, granulated sugar, and next 5 ingredients (through egg); beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (butter will not be completed melted).
• Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour to yeast mixture; beat at medium speed until smooth. Stir in 1 cup flour to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky).
• Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85F), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough into 16 portions, rolling each portion into a ball.
• Place dough balls on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until dough is doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Uncover balls. Bake at 375F for 14 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make a pocket in each roll using the handle of a wooden spoon, pushing to but not through the opposite end. Fill with about 2 teaspoons jam, using plastic condiment bottle or a piping bag. Sprinkle rolls with powdered sugar.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Place flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center; add eggs, yeast mixture, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, nutmeg, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir until a sticky dough forms. On a well-floured work surface, knead until dough is smooth, soft, and bounces back when poked with a finger, about 8 minutes (add more flour, if necessary). Place in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch-round cutter or drinking glass, cut 20 rounds. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise 15 minutes.
• In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until a deep-frying thermometer registers 370 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, carefully slip 4 rounds into oil. Fry until golden, about 40 seconds. Turn doughnuts over; fry until golden on other side, another 40 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Roll in sugar while warm. Fry all dough, and roll in sugar.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #4 tip with jam. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, make a hole in the side of each doughnut. Fit the pastry tip into a hole, pipe about 2 teaspoons jam into doughnut. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.