Jelly Doughnuts

Jelly doughnuts are popular any time of the year, but these delectable fried sweets are also a traditional dessert served at Hanukkah, when they’re known by their Hebrew name, sufganiyot. Like all doughnuts, they’re best served immediately after frying, so be sure to have a hungry crowd around when you make these.

MAKES:32 doughnuts

PREP TIME:45 minutes

RISING TIME: 1 ½ hours

COOKING TIME: about 4 minutes per batch

INGREDIENTS:

• ¾ cup warm whole milk (about 110ºF)
• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying
• ⅔ cup seedless red fruit jam, such as strawberry, sour cherry or raspberry
• Icing sugar for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the warm milk and yeast. Let stand until puffy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt until well combined.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Pour in the milk mixture, then the egg yolks. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Add the melted butter. Mix until the dough is smooth and holds together.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead well until smooth, 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning the dough to coat it evenly with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel, or loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
7. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
8. On a lightly floured work surface, punch down the dough to remove the air. Roll it out to ¼-inch thickness.
9. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out 32 rounds, rerolling the dough scraps once. (Rerolling the scraps more than once makes the doughnuts tough.) Place the rounds, about ½ inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Cover with a damp towel, or loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until risen, puffy and about ½ inch thick, about 30 minutes.
10. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 360ºF to 375ºF. Alternatively, pour enough oil into a deep, large, heavy bottomed saucepan to come one-third of the way up the sides of the saucepan. Hook a candy thermometer over the side of the saucepan. Heat the oil over medium heat until the thermometer registers 360ºF to 375ºF.
11. Meanwhile, line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Place the jam in a piping bag fitted with a ¼-inch round tip. Set aside.
12. Using a flat spatula or tongs and working in batches, carefully slide the doughnuts, one at a time, into the hot oil. Do not crowd the deep-fryer or saucepan. If using a saucepan, adjust the heat, if necessary, to maintain the temperature of the oil at a constant 360ºF to 375ºF.
13. Fry the doughnuts until the undersides are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip the doughnuts and fry until the second side is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
14. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the doughnuts to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
15. When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to puncture a hole in the side of each one. Wiggle the knife around slightly to form a pocket in the centre of each doughnut.
16. Place the tip of the piping bag into the hole of one doughnut and pipe in about 1 teaspoonful of jam. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts. Dust the doughnuts with icing sugar and serve immediately. (The doughnuts are best served the day they’re made.)