Sufganiyots...

...are the Jewish version of a donut/doughnut. Whatever you choose to call this sweet treat, it is definitely a favorite this time of year! I love rich holiday traditions (especially those that involve tasty food) and the Jewish culture seems to be filled with them. Trying new food is a great way to expose oneself to various cultures, you may realize they are not so distant from familiar foods that you love, it may just have a different name! In the Jewish culture for me, there is no better time to enjoy a variety of foods than Chanukah!

Chanukah/Hanukkah begins this year at sundown on December 11th, which will mark the first of eight nights of the Festival of Lights. There is a custom of eating fried foods like latkes or sufganiyots and since there are not many opportunities to participate in this celebration for me, here in Utah, I decided to get started on my own, with a recipe from A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking by Marcy Goldman .

Due to copyright restrictions I can’t post the exact recipe I used, but Gale Gand has a similar recipe that will work great ; (I’d recommend adding vanilla; a teaspoon or two will do the trick!)

When in comes to frying, I have a few tips…

1. It is always best to have a thermometer; preferably a candy thermometer that be affixed to the side of whatever container you are frying in.

2. Use a heavy deep pot to fry; in this case I used a Dutch oven, but a deep fat fryer works wonderfully!

3. Test one doughnut first, to determine frying conditions.

4. Don’t put too many pieces in at once; they won’t cook all the way through! No one likes a raw donut!

5. Always have a fire extinguisher nearby, you never know what mishap could occur!

After the donuts were fried and dried on some paper towels I shook them in a paper bag filled with a cinnamon and sugar mixture. For best results do this while they are still hot, the grains will coat better! Serve with jelly and mascarpone cheese!