Grains for the holidays: Sufganiyot

Happy Hanukkah! The first recipe in our Grains for the Holidays series features a classic holiday donut known as Sufganiyah (plural: Sufganiyot). This deep-fried and filled donut is a staple dessert during Hanukkah and is made with flour produced by Ontario wheat! Try our take on Sufganiyot below.

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• ¾ cup warm water
• ½ cup warm milk
• 3 tbsp room temperature unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 cups of canola or vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 ½ cup filling of choice (ex: Strawberry jam, raspberry jam, apple butter, the options are endless!)
• ½ cup of powdered sugar

Directions:

Preparing the Dough:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine warm water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and yeast. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until it appears foamy on the top.
2. Once the yeast mixture is activated and foamy, add in the remaining sugar, eggs, warm milk, and vanilla extract, and gently whisk until combined.
3.  In a separate large bowl, combine 3 cups of flour, nutmeg, and salt.
4. Add in the wet ingredients and mix using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer equipped with the dough hook on low speed, adding in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time.
5. Mix until a sticky dough ball forms.
6. Use the remaining flour to coat the countertop, place the dough ball onto the flour and begin kneading.
7. Continue kneading the dough until it does not feel sticky anymore; this may take 5-10 minutes; add extra flour if necessary.
8. Place the dough into a large bowl, lightly greased with oil or butter, and loosely cover the bowl with a dry, clean, towel; set aside in a warm place to rise until the size of the dough ball doubles (approximately 1 hour).
9.  Once the dough is fully risen, place the dough on a lightly floured countertop, roll until it is about 0.5 inches thick, and use more flour if needed to prevent sticking.
10. Using a floured knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into circles about 2 inches in size.
11. Place dough circles onto a baking sheet, cover them, and allow them to rise for another 30-45 minutes (they should be slightly less than doubled in size).

Frying:

1. In a large saucepan, add 6 cups of oil, and heat on medium to high heat.
2. Monitor the temperature using a thermometer, until the temperature reaches 350°F.
3. Place 3-4 dough circles in the saucepan at a time, frying each side until it reaches a golden-brown colour (approximately 1 minute per side).
4. Place cooked donuts on a paper towel to absorb the remaining oil and let cool

Note: It is important to keep the oil up to temperature while frying. If the temperature drops below 350°F, let the oil heat up again before proceeding with frying.

Finishing the Donuts:

1. Fill a piping bag with your filling of choice.
2. Insert the tip of the piping bag into the top of the Sufganiyot and fill carefully until the jam comes out of a hole.
3. Dust powdered sugar on top of the donuts, serve, and enjoy!