Sufganiyot (Israeli Jam Doughnuts)

The first recorded recipe for a jam-filled doughnut, Gefüllte Krapfen, can be found in ‘Kuchenmeisterei’ (Mastery of the Kitchen), a German cookbook printed in 1485, but the idea of sufganiyot as a Chanukah treat was the creation of Israel’s labour federation, the Histadrut in the late 1920s.
Winter was fast approaching, and with the harvest season over, the Histadrut, which represented 75% of the Jewish labor force of Mandatory Palestine found that the majority of its membership needed work for the season. While many Jews were already marking the eight nights of Chanukah with homemade oily treats such as ‘levivot’ (latkes) and fried dough dredged in sweet syrups (such as Moroccan sfinj), the creation of jam-filled doughnuts covered in sugar was thought to require far greater skill and more manual labour, making it the perfect thing to bolster the bakery industry and occupy the unemployed labour force of 1920s Israel.
The newly created doughnut industry created jobs, with workers needed to deliver ingredients, work on production lines and ferry the goods around the country.
And so a new Chanukah tradition was born. In true Israeli style, the tiny nation got behind the initiative and the doughnut industry boomed, so much so, that over 100 years later, literally millions of sufganiyot are eaten in Israel every year over the Chanukah period.
A wondrous treat in more ways than one, at a time when we must call on our innate sense of survival against all odds and our ability to adapt, a simple bite of this sweet treat is perhaps all we need to remember that we will always find our way to the light.

If you have never made a jam doughnut at home, don’t be intimidated: They are easier to make than you would expect, and the homemade version is fresh and super delicious.

• • 7g (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast

• • 1½ tablespoons lukewarm water

• • 120ml (½ cup) lukewarm milk (or milk alternative)

• • 2 tablespoons caster sugar

• • 55g butter (1/4 cup) (or vegan alternative), melted

• • 335g (2 ⅓ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour (plus extra for rolling)

• • 2 eggs

• • vegetable oil, for deep-frying

• • Caster sugar, for topping

• • Jam, for filling

2. 1. In a large bowl, place the yeast, water, milk, and a pinch of sugar and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.

1. 1. Add the butter, flour, eggs, and sugar to the yeast mixture and use a flat knife or your hands to mix until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes, adding flour if needed (you can do this whole process in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook).

1. 1. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean, damp cloth, and set aside in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

1. 1. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1cm (¼ inch) thick and use a 5.5cm (2 inch) round cutter to cut 20 rounds from the dough. Place the rounds on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, cover with a dry clean tea towel, and set aside for 20 minutes or until risen.

1. 1. Place the oil and a sugar thermometer in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat until temperature reaches 160°C (325°F) alternatively use a deep fat fryer.

1. 1. Cook the doughnuts, in batches, for 1–2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on absorbent paper for a couple of seconds, and then immediately roll in caster sugar.

1. 1. Using a small knife, make a small slit on the side of the doughnut, then using a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle push about a tablespoon of jam into the doughnuts.