TheKitchn.com

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 want to spend an afternoon baking.

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.

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