These small sufganiyot (Hebrew for Hanukkah doughnuts) use baking powder instead of yeast, which makes the preparation fast and easy.
Serve with creme fraiche and the cherry sauce offered here, or any type of jam you prefer. It’s good with just the powdered sugar on top as well.
Make Ahead: The sauce can be made a week in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Leftovers can be used with other desserts. The doughnuts are best served immediately after they are made, but they can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.
Quick doughnuts w/cherry sauce
Course: DessertsCuisine: IsraeliDifficulty: easy40
doughnuts15
minutes45
minutesINGREDIENTS
- For the sauce
2 pounds pitted fresh or frozen cherries
About 3 cups (24 ounces) sugar
1/2 cup red wine, such as merlot or pinot noir
Pinch ground allspice
- For the doughnuts
Oil, for frying (half of it can be olive oil)
2½ cups flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
16 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
¼ cup olive oil
Finely grated zest of 1 orange (a scant tablespoon)
Pinch salt
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
DIRECTIONS
- For the cherry sauce
- Combine the cherries, sugar and wine in large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, stirring to blend. Once the mixture starts to bubble at the edges, skim any foam from the top. Cook uncovered for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed, so the mixture darkens in color and thickens to form a jam. The yield is about 6 cups. If you’re using it right away, keep at room temperature; otherwise, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- For the doughnuts
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Line a platter with several layers of paper towels, or place a wire rack over a few layers of paper towels.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, yogurt, eggs, the 1/4 cup of olive oil, orange zest and salt in a mixing bowl, stirring to form a smooth batter.
- When the oil is hot, use 2 tableware teaspoons to drop 1-inch dollops of the batter into the oil (do not crowd the pan); fry until brown; this should take about 4 minutes per batch. If the doughnuts brown quicker than that, reduce the heat as needed. Transfer the doughnuts to the platter or rack. Repeat to use all of the batter.
- Sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar; serve warm, with the sauce alongside for dipping.