Looking for the ultimate Chanukah treat? Shinshinit Ori’s favorite sfenj recipe is a must-try! These airy, golden doughnuts are easy to make and perfect for your holiday table—whether you like them with a sprinkle of sugar or just as they are.
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Rising Time: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 4 to 5 servings
Yield: 8 to 10 doughnuts
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 ¼ cups warm water, divided
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Granulated sugar or confectioner’s sugar (optional)
Steps
- In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup of the warm water and set aside to proof for 10 or 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour with the salt and the remaining 1 cup warm water. Add the yeast mixture and stir vigorously with your hand or a heavy wooden spoon until smooth. The dough should be too sticky to knead or shape, almost like a thick batter.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and leave the dough to rise for 3 to 4 hours, until double or triple in bulk.
- In a wide, deep pot, heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil over medium heat until hot.
- Set out a bowl of water. Dip your hands in the water, then pull off a piece of dough about the size of a small plum. Use your fingers to make a hole in the ball of dough, stretch the hole wide to make a ring, and place the dough in the hot oil.
- Repeat with additional portions of dough until you’ve added as many sfenj as will fit comfortably in your pot; do not overcrowd. Wet your hands as necessary to keep the dough from sticking as you work with it.
- Fry the sfenj until golden brown, turning once or twice. Remove the cooked sfenj to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Repeat shaping and frying until you’ve used up all the dough.
- If desired, finish the hot sfenj by dipping in granulated sugar or by dusting with powdered sugar.
- Serve the sfenj hot or warm. They lose their texture and appeal when cold!