Infinite Light Cooking / Sfinj (Moroccan doughnuts)
LIRON FISCH @lironnn
My favorite Hanukkah recipe is for sfinj, which are Moroccan doughnuts. My mother makes these every year, and they’re always loved by family and friends. Making sfinj makes me feel connected to my heritage, especially when enjoyed with a cup of mint tea. This recipe makes about 25 doughnuts.
6 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp dry yeast
¼ cup sugar
3 ½ cups warm water
½ tsp salt
Oil for frying (I use canola oil)
Granulated sugar, powdered sugar, or honey to top the sfinj
Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl and whisk well to make sure all the ingredients are distributed. Add the warm water in three parts, and knead by hand to make a soft, wet, sticky dough.
Set dough aside to rise for about an hour.
Put enough oil in the pot for deep frying and turn the heat to medium high. It should reach 355°.
Dip your hands lightly in room-temperature oil and pinch off a handful-sized piece of dough. Roll it into a ball and make a hole in the center of the dough, then stretch it a bit to create doughnut rings. Gently place the doughnuts in the oil and fill the pot with as many doughnuts as you can fit. Cook until the bottom of the doughnuts are golden brown and then flip. Remove the doughnuts from oil and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Top the sfinj with powdered sugar or granulated sugar, or drizzle on some honey.
