A sufganiyah (Hebrew: סופגנייה or סופגניה; plural, sufganiyot: סופגניות) is a ball-shaped doughnut that is first deep-fried, then pierced and injected with jelly or custard, and then topped with powdered sugar. It is similar to the German Berliner, the Polish pączki, or the Russian ponchik. In Yiddish, sufganiyot are known as ponchkes. They are usually eaten warm.
The Hebrew word sufganiyah derives from the Hebrew word for sponge (sfog, Hebrew: ספוג).[1] This is supposed to describe the texture of a sufganiyah, which is somewhat similar to a sponge.
The sufganiyah was originally made from two circles of dough surrounding a jam filling, stuck together and fried in one piece.[2] Although this method is still practiced, an easier technique commonly used today is to deep-fry whole balls of dough and then inject them with a filling through a baker's syringe (or a special industrial machine).
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Sufganiyot are widely consumed in Israel in the weeks leading up to and including the Hanukkah holiday.[2] At Hanukkah, Jews observe the custom of eating fried foods in commemoration of the miracle associated with the Temple oil. While potato pancakes (latkes or levivot) are also eaten in Israel, sufganiyot are considered a more "Israeli" Hanukkah treat.
Bakeries and grocery stores build excitement for the approaching holiday by selling sufganiyot individually and by the box; they have become a favorite for school and office parties. Angel Bakeries, the largest bakery in Israel, reportedly fries up more than 250,000 sufganiyot every day during the eight-day Hanukkah festival. Each batch uses 100 kilograms of dough and makes 1,600 sufganiyot.[3] Local newspapers add to the excitement by sending out food critics each year to rate the "best sufganiyah in town."
As a result of the national hubbub, some purveyors have elevated the basic filling recipe to an art form. The least expensive version (priced at about 30 cents) is stuffed with plain red jelly, while more expensive versions (priced at up to $2 per sufganiyah) are piped with dulce de leche, chocolate cream, vanilla cream, and cappuchino,[4] and even Arak.[5] Outside Israel, there are many variations on the basic dough, including chocolate, no-yeast, and raised potato.
In recent years, Israeli bakeries began downsizing sufganiyot to appeal to health-conscious consumers. The usual 100-gram size, packing 400 to 600 calories,[4] now appears in 50-gram size with different fillings and toppings, earning the name "mini".[6]
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