Although typically filled with jelly or custard, our teatime take on this sweet treat features a spiced dough with apple butter tucked away in the center. Pictured with our Toasted Sesame Baklava and Star of David Brown Sugar Cookies.
Apple Butter Sufganiyot
Serves: approximately 26
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water, 110° to 115°
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1 (0.25-ounce) package active dry yeast
- 4 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon tightly packed fresh lemon zest
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 1⁄4 cups prepared apple butter
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
- Garnish: confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together 1 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar, and yeast. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
- To yeast mixture, add 2 cups flour, eggs, oil, salt, cinnamon, lemon zest, allspice, and remaining 5 tablespoons sugar; beat at low speed just until combined. Add 2 1⁄4 cups flour; beat at low speed just until combined.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment; beat at low speed until a smooth, soft, but slightly sticky dough forms, approximately 14 minutes, adding as much of remaining 1⁄4 cup flour as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, but being mindful not to add too much flour, as it is important that the dough be soft and slightly sticky to have the desired soft interior after frying.
- Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°) until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes. (Alternatively, cover and let rise in refrigerator overnight. When ready to use, proceed as directed.)
- Cut out approximately 26 (4-inch) parchment paper squares, and place 13 on each baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Spray parchment squares with cooking spray.
- Punch down dough. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface, and roll to a 1⁄2-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut as many rounds as possible from dough. Gently transfer dough rounds to prepared parchment squares. Reroll scraps, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes; cut as many rounds as possible from these scraps and place on remaining prepared parchment squares, adding or removing parchment squares as needed. Discard remaining dough. Cover dough rounds, and let rise in a warm, draft- free place (75°) until puffed, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels.
- In a large heavy-bottom saucepan or a large enamel-coated cast-iron Dutch oven, pour oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 365°.
- Working in batches and using parchment paper square, gently add each dough round to oil. (It is OK if parchment paper touches the oil.) Fry until sufganiyot are golden brown, approximately 3 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Using a spider strainer, transfer sufganiyot to prepared paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Let cool completely.
- Using a small paring knife, make a hole in the side of each cooled sufganiyah. Using a small wooden skewer, hollow inside of each sufganiyah.
- Place apple butter in a piping bag fitted with a small 1⁄4-inch round piping tip. Insert piping tip and pipe apple butter into the hole in each sufganiyah, being careful not to overfill.
- Just before serving, dust tops with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Notes
Kitchen Tip: For best flavor and texture, serve the same day as they are made.
