Thanks to the internet and social media, the latest gourmet trends consistently reach a broad spectrum of foods, including all-time holiday favorites such as sufganiyot. Chanukah is the time of rigorous competition between Jewish bakers to reinterpret the classic recipe and come up with the most extravagant sufganiyah on the block. We, the spoiled consumers, then evaluate them by selflessly stuffing our faces with these decadent concoctions.
There’s nothing wrong with the good old strawberry jam sufganiyah made to perfection, and there’s nothing wrong with experimenting. The bottom-line is: it has to be delicious! So why not join the fun competition and try something new, exciting and, of course, extra yummy this Chanukah?
Healthy-ish Apple Doughnuts for Your Guilty Conscience
Core three large crispy apples, turn them on the side and cut into threeequal slices, so that each slice looks like a doughnut with a hole in the middle. For the batter: use two cups of white flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, two tablespoons of sugar, a pinch of salt, a medium egg, and a half a cup of milk. Mix well until the consistency of thick yogurt, add more milk if needed. Heat a deep frying pan filled with vegetable oil on the stove. Coat each apple slice in the batter and place in the pan. Fry till golden brown, then turn over and repeat. Take the apple doughnuts out and put on the paper towel to absorb the remaining oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve hot or cooled.
How About Savory Sufganiyot?
Who said your Chanukah fried goods must be sweet? When you’re tired of jam, custard and powdered sugar, make the Italian style panzerotti – fried pastries filled with tomato sauce and cheese such as mozzarella or salty ricotta. Try adding mushrooms, olives, basil or eggplant to make your panzerotti more uniquely delicious. Tnuva’s kosher mozzarella will be perfect for this dish.
Another great savory version is fried sambusa with lentils and peas, popular among Iraqi Jews.
A tip: when making dough for your sufganiyot, use margarine for a pareve version, or Tnuva’s kosher unsalted butter for a dairy one. Using high quality butter is important because it creates the softest, fluffiest, most flavorful dough.
Filling Ideas
Chocolate Pudding and Raspberry
No need to make your own chocolate filling, just take some delicious Tnuva chocolate pudding (it can be our little secret) and add some fresh, crushed raspberries or other fresh berries of your choice. Mix well and fill your freshly fried, cooled sufganiyot. Yum!
Pistachio Crème Patissiere
Start with pistachio butter. It’s easy to make, but it’ll add a level of sophistication to your sufganiyot. You’ll need two cups of raw pistachios, a pinch of salt and one tablespoon of honey. Roast your pistachios on the preheated pan for five minutes, constantly stirring. Put the pistachios, honey and salt in your food processor, and grind until smooth. Voila, the pistachio butter is ready! Leave it in the food processor for now. Next, make crème patisserie (pastry cream) using your favorite classic recipe. Pour two cups of the crème into the food processor and mix with the pistachio butter. Done!
Labaneh Lemon Cheesecake
The tanginess of labaneh will make these sufganiyot light and melt-in-the-mouth. Mix a container of Tnuva’s labaneh with a teaspoon of vanilla extract, three tablespoons of sugar (add more to taste), three tablespoons of whipped cream for a lighter texture and taste, one teaspoon of finely grated lemon peel and one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Mix well. For a grown-up only version, substitute lemon juice for a tablespoon of Limoncello liquor.
By Gina Levi
