The Best Dessert for Hanukkah? Doughnuts!

Food tells the story of our people, and doughnuts are no exception. These delicious, fried dough treats date back all the way to Jews in the New World. Sufganiyot – doughnuts filled with fruit jam filling and sprinkled with sugar – are the signature food of Hanukkah since 1920. Why? Because the Israeli Labor Federation declared them so, and we’re so glad they did because it’s what we look forward to most this holiday. 

If you are looking to make classic Sufganiyot with a little less oil and clean-up, the chefs at JCHC have got you covered with this air-fryer recipe! 

Sufganiyot Ingredients:

• Your Jam of Choice (We Recommend Strawberry, Blueberry or Blackberry)
• 2 Large Eggs
• 3 Cups Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Yeast
• ½ Cup Milk (Scalded)
• 1/3 Cup Sugar
• 3 Cups Flour
• 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature)
• ½ Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• Confectioner’s Sugar
• Canola Oil

Sufganiyot Directions: 

1. Add yeast, milk and sugar to your mixer and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Whisk in the eggs, salt and vanilla extract.
3. Drop in 2 cups of flour with the whisk.
4. Next, cut your butter into small pieces and drop into your dough mixture one at a time. After each piece of butter, mix thoroughly using a dough hook attachment. 
5. Add the rest of your flour to the dough gradually and mix until soft. Then, scrape the sides of the bowl and continue to knead the dough using the hook attachment. If the dough feels too sticky, add more flour until it feels soft and smooth.
6. Cover your dough and let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size. Then, roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is about half-an-inch thick.
7. Cut the dough into circles using a biscuit cutter.
8. Transfer the dough circles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then, cover the baking sheet with a dish towel and let the dough rise again until it’s doubled in size. Make sure the dough rounds are spaced apart well from one another on the baking sheet. 
9. Grab canola oil and grease the basket of your air fryer. Depending on the size of your dough circles, add 3 to 5 into your air fryer basket and coat the tops of each with canola oil before frying. 
10.  Set to 350 degrees and let them fry for 5-6 minutes before flipping them over. Repeat this step until all of your dough circles are fried.
11. Grab your jam of choice and pulse it in a food processor, so that it’s easier to pipe into your doughnuts. 
12.  Fill the piping bag with the jam and make sure it has a ¼-inch round tip attached. Insert the round tip of the piping bag into the top of the doughnut and gently squeeze down until the jam is about half way through the doughnut. Each doughnut should be filled until the jam just peeks out of the top. 
13.  Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar on top of each doughnut and enjoy!

Sharing Traditional Meals at Our Assisted Living Community in NJ

Come celebrate Hanukkah with mom at our warm and inviting senior living campus in Whippany. Our beloved chefs at Lester look forward to serving traditional recipes to commemorate this holiday with residents and their families. 

For more information about our food and dining options for seniors in Whippany NJ, please come visit us for lunch or visit our website at: https://jchcorp.org

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