Suvganiyot

Suvganiyot are totally yummy! We could hardly wait until they were cool enough to eat. They are deep fried dough balls that are filled with jam. Not low calorie but again they remind the Jewish people of the miraculous oil in the Temple.

Suvganiyot are not everyday food. They are absolutely holiday food. You can imagine that mothers and grandmothers skrimped on oil on other meals to have a lot of oil for the Channukah feast.

Because suvganiyot are deep fried, this is a recipe that adults and children have to work as a team to make. It also takes an hour for the dough to rise the first time and 30 minutes for the second rise. You can spend the waiting time playing driedl or telling family stories while the dough rises.

Makes 36 suvganiyot

You'll need

• 1 packet of dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons of warm water
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 - 4 cups of flour
• 1 cup of raspberry or grape jelly
• Powdered sugar
• 1 to 1/2 cups of oil
• A LOT of help from grandma or another adult

Equipment:

• Measuring cups and spoons
• A large bowl
• A small sauce pan
• A large spoon
• A clean dish towel or plastic wrap
• A cookie sheet
• A large skillet
• Tongs
• A plate
• Paper towels

1. Pour 3 tablespoons of water into the bowl and add the dry yeast. Stir it gently until it dissolves. Set the bowl aside in a warm spot because yeast needs warmth to do its work.
2. Put the milk and butter into the saucepan and ask Grandma or whoever is helping you scald it. This means heating the milk until it just gets little bubbles on the surface but without letting it come to a full boil.
3. Add the sugar and salt to milk. Mix it all together and take the saucepan off the heat. Let the milk mixture cool until it is just warm to the touch - about 5 minutes.
4. When the milk is just slightly warm, beat the egg and add it to milk mixture. It's important that the milk mixture be cool enough because you want the egg to mix in smoothly and not turn out like scrambled egg lumps in the milk.
5. Add the yeast mixture.  
6. Add 3 cups of flour and mix. Now add more flour gradually until the dough is firm but smooth.
7. Flour your hands and your work surface and turn the dough out onto it.
8. The dough needs to be kneaded. To begin kneading, sprinkle the ball of dough with flour and fold one side over the other. Press down using the butt of your hand. Repeat. Add a little flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands and the counter. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. 
9. Place the dough in clean bowl and cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap. Put the bowl in a warm place to rise. Let dough rise for about 1 hour until it is double. 
10. When the dough ball has risen, put flour on your hands and dust a cookie sheet with flour. Break the dough into walnut sized balls.  Cover the balls and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
11. Heat oil and have Grandma or whoever is helping fry the balls turning them with the tongs until they are medium brown all over. 
12. Place paper towels on a plate and transfer the fried balls onto the towels to drain.
13. Wait until the suvganiyot have cooled enough to let you handle them. It's best to have your adult helper try this first because the balls will be quite hot on the inside. Stick your thumb inside and break the suvganiyot slightly open. Fill the gap with jelly.
14. Sprinkle the suvganiyot with powdered sugar and serve. Delicious!