- 2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1/2 cup milk, warmed
- 1/4 cup sugar, plus a pinch
- 2 1/2 cup flour
- pinch salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon butter, softened and cut into small pieces
- 64 ounce (1.8 l) neutral oil for frying such as vegetable or canola
- 12 ounce jam (preferably a smooth variety, not chunky)
- powdered sugar, for sprinkling
- Mix yeast, warm milk and a pinch of sugar together in a small bowl and allow to rest until foamy, about ten minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and cinnamon.
- Add yeast mixture and start to mix with a wooden spoon.
- Add vanilla, then the eggs one at a time followed by the butter in small pieces.
- Continue to mix until the dough comes together.
- Turn out onto well-floured board and knead by hand until dough is smooth and elastic, roughly five minutes.
- Place bowl in oiled bowl and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about one hour.
- Punch down dough and turn out onto a well-floured board.
- Roll out until 1/4 thick. (Dough may spring back. If so, allow it to rest for a few minutes and try again.)
- Using a round cookie cutter 3 inches in diameter, cut out as many circles of dough as you can.
- Gather the scraps and roll out again.
- Cut out more circles until you have used all the dough.
- Place circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cover with a clean towel and allow to proof for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil to between 360 and 365 degrees in deep fat fryer OR large deep Dutch oven.
- Add doughnuts in batches of no more than four so as not to reduce the temperature of the oil.
- Turn after 1 minute.
- Cook until both sides are golden brown, about 2 minutes total.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
- When doughnuts are cool enough to handle, poke a hole in one end with a skewer and move the skewer around inside the doughnut to create space.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a small tip with your favorite jam.
- Pipe jam into hole in sufganiyot just until it starts to spill out.
- Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve!