Sufganiyot

Food fried in oil recalls the legend of the miracle of one small jar of oil lasting for eight days when the Maccabees rededicated the Temple and needed oil to light the eternal lamp. In Israel, a popular Chanukah treat is sufganiyot, or jelly donuts.

2½ cups flour
2 cups hot milk
2 packages dry yeast
¼ cup lukewarm milk
6 egg yolks
2⁄3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup butter
Rind of 1 lemon or orange
Jam for filling
Oil for frying
Confectioner’s sugar

Sift 1 cup flour into hot milk and beat until smooth; allow to cool. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk, add to the flour mixture and set aside for about 30 minutes. Mix the egg yolks and sugar with the vanilla and rind; add to dough. Add remaining flour and the butter. Knead dough and set aside; allow to rise until doubled in bulk (about 45 minutes). Roll out on floured board to ½-inch thickness and cut into rounds. Put a teaspoon of jam in the center of one round and cover with another. Press edges together and allow doughnuts to rise in a warm place. Fry in hot oil, drain and dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Yields about 20 doughnuts.