By Brenda Storch, Messianic Rebbetzin of The Tabernacle
A Hannukkah Tradition!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup warm milk (about 105 degrees F)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 to 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
Vegetable oil, for brushing and deep-frying
Jelly or seedless jam, for filling
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
DIRECTIONS
Bloom the yeast: Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir to dissolve; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Make the dough: Add the sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs to the bowl and whisk until blended. Add 2 cups flour and mix with the dough hook to combine, stopping to scrape down the bowl. (The dough will be sticky; if it's too wet, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour.) Add the butter and mix until smooth. Let it rise: Brush a large bowl with vegetable oil; add the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in the refrigerator, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Cut out the doughnuts: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and dust with flour. Dust a clean surface with flour; turn out the dough onto the surface. Dust the dough with flour, then gently pat it out to make it easier to roll. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch rounds with a cookie cutter; transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Reroll the scraps and cut out more rounds. Dust the dough rounds lightly with flour, cover with plastic wrap and let rest 1 hour in a warm place.
Fry them: Heat 2 to 3 inches vegetable oil in a large pot until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the doughnuts, turning, until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes total. Using tongs or a skimmer, remove to paper towels to drain.
Fill with jelly: Fit a pastry bag with a 1/8-inch-round tip; place the bag in a glass and cuff the open end over the glass. Fill the bag with jelly. Insert the pastry tip into the side of a doughnut and gently squeeze to fill. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm.
