Moroccan Doughnuts Sfenj Recipes

SFENJ AKA MOROCCAN DOUGHNUTS: YOUR NEW FAVE HANUKKAH DESSERT USING JUST 5 INGREDIENTS!

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast and sugar in ½ cup of lukewarm water and set aside to bloom for 10 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast mixture with flour and gradually add 1 ¼ cups of lukewarm water until it forms a sticky dough. Then add the salt and continue to knead for about 10 minutes, which will make the dough springy and elastic. A stand mixer with a hook attachment is ideal for this, but you can also mix by hand, working the dough vigorously. The dough should still end up very sticky and loose.
• Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the dough rise for 2 to 3 hours, until light, airy - and they double or triple in size. (To speed up the rising time, put dough in the oven with the light turned on).
• In a high-sided pan or pot, heat 1 to 2 inches of vegetable oil on medium heat until hot, measured on a candy or deep-fry thermometer between 360°F to 370°F. (A Dutch oven works great for this because it maintains a consistent temperature and its heavy weight anchors it to the burner, reducing the risk of accidents when deep frying). If you don't have a thermometer, you can test the temperature of the oil with the handle end of a wooden spoon. If you see lots of little bubbles form around the wood, your oil is ready to fry in.
• Keep a small bowl of cold water handy for wetting your hands before you shape each doughnut. Lightly punch down the dough to deflate it. Pull off a piece of batter about the size of an egg. Use your thumb to make a hole in the centre of the dough and then pull gently to form a doughnut shape. (Don't worry about getting them perfect, they will puff up nicely in the oil).
• Carefully put the doughnuts one at a time into the pot of hot oil and don't overcrowd them. (A good rule of thumb is 3 to 4 doughnuts at a time). Fry the doughnuts for 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown on the bottom and puffed on top. Then flip carefully with a slotted spoon or metal tongs and cook on the other side for another 1 to 2 minutes, until even in colour and golden brown all over.
• Remove the finished doughnuts onto a cooling rack lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Serve piping hot or warm, either plain, drizzled with hot honey or dusted with cinnamon or sugar - and preferably accompanied by a glass of Moroccan mint tea.

SFENJ - DEEP FRIED MOROCCAN DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Make yeast starter by dissolving 2 TBS. sugar and 1/2 teaspoons salt in 4 TBS. warm water in a small bowl. Stir in 1 TBS. dried active yeast. Let proof 15 minutes.
• Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle with your hands. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and begin to mix with your hand. Add a little warm water from time to time as mix, until it is the consistency of a stiff dough.
• Knead dough for 10-15 minutes by machine OR by hand:pulling the dough away from the bowl, slapping it down and kneading it into the bowl again with the heel of your hand, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Little by little, add remainder of water, sprinkling 2 TBS. at a time into the bowl. Knead the dough in the bowl until water is dissolved, continuing until the dough is spongy, very elastic and very sticky.
• Oil a mixing bowl lightly. Oil your hands and push dough down into the center of the original bowl with oiled hands until you can easily pick it up and transfer to the oiled bowl. Wipe any dough that might stick to your hands, dip fingers in oil again, and turn dough over in bowl. Then cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and allow to rise 1 -1 1/2 hours.
• When dough is risen, punch it down in bowl with your fist. Heat frying oil in a pan or deep fryer.
• When oil is hot, oil the fingers of both hands. Take a piece of dough approximately the size of a small egg and make a hole in the center using your fingers and twirl the dough to enlarge hole to size of a golf ball. Plunge ring of dough into hot oil. The dough will puff up.
• Turn the rings once or twice until golden on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to drain dry on kitchen paper.
• Serve hot. May dip in sugar or honey or jam if desired.