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.
Zalabia
This ancient Middle Eastern Chanukah fritter goes under many different names and guises, but the principle is always the same; a thin yeasted batter that is deep fried, before being drenched in a sugar syrup or honey. The name, Zalabia, is an Arabic term used by Mizrahi and Yemenite Jews, and known as burmuelos in Ladino. In the Ta’amim version we have used lemon and orange blossom water, but feel free to play around with the flavours, try rose water, honey, cinnamon, saffron, black cumin or star anise. Enjoy while hot!
