The "Biscuit Dough" Sufganiyot
סופגניות אשל·(soof-gah-nee-yoht eh-shel)
Weekend Feasts & Holiday Gatherings
If you grew up in the States, you might know the quick jelly doughnut as a gimmick born from a pop-can of refrigerated biscuit dough. It’s a cute trick, but it tastes exactly like fried canned bread. The true weeknight shortcut comes straight from the Israeli grandmother’s playbook: sufganiyot eshel. By mixing everyday pantry staples with cultured dairy like kefir or sour cream, a rapid chemical reaction gives you the fluffy, tender crumb of a yeast doughnut in five minutes flat. Toss a splash of brandy in the batter to forcefully repel the cooking grease, and drop a raw carrot in the hot oil to keep your kitchen from smelling like a fry pit. It’s generationally verified magic, with absolutely no proofing required.
Before you start
Set up a proper draining station.
Set a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with paper towels before you begin frying to keep your workspace organized.
Prepare your filling tool.
Transfer the smooth strawberry preserves into a plastic squeeze bottle or a piping bag fitted with a round tip so it is ready the moment the doughnuts are out of the oil.
Ingredients
- eggs2 large
- plain kefir1 3/4 cup
- granulated sugar1/4 cup
- vanilla extract1 tsp
- brandy or cognac1 tbsp
- all-purpose flour2 1/2 cup
- baking powder1 tbsp
- baking soda1/4 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- carrot1 large
- canola oil1 1/2 qt
- smooth strawberry preserves1/2 cup
- powdered sugar1 cup
Method
- 01
Whisk the wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, kefir, sugar, vanilla, and brandy until completely smooth.
- 02
Incorporate the dry goods.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then gently fold this into the wet mixture with a spatula just until the flour disappears. The batter will be sticky, thick, and shaggy—closer to a wet muffin batter than bread dough. Do not overmix, or your doughnuts will turn out dense.
- 03
Heat the oil and deploy the carrot.
Pour two to three inches of canola oil into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, drop in a chunk of raw carrot, and heat to 330°F. The carrot acts as a magnet for loose, burning bits of dough, keeping your oil clean and your kitchen smoke-free. If you lack a thermometer, dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil; steady, energetic bubbles mean it's ready.
- 04
Drop the batter using the traditional two-spoon method.
Dip two metal tablespoons into the hot oil for a second to slick them, scoop a walnut-sized ball of batter with one spoon, and use the back of the second to gently slide it off and into the oil. Work in small batches of five or six so you don't drop the oil temperature.
- 05
Fry to a deep golden brown.
Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side. The chemical leavening will often cause them to magically flip themselves when the bottom is cooked. Look for the pale white band around the equator that proves your oil temp is dead-on, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a wire rack.
- 06
Fill and generously dust.
Once cool enough to handle but still warm, use a wooden skewer to poke a hole in the side of each doughnut, wiggle it around to create a cavity, and squeeze in about a teaspoon of strawberry preserves. Finish with an aggressive shower of powdered sugar.
Notes
The Alcohol Shield
Don't skip the brandy. When the alcohol hits the hot oil, it evaporates rapidly, creating outward steam pressure that physically repels the fat. It cooks off completely, leaving you with a remarkably light, non-greasy crumb.
The Kefir Alternative
If you can't find kefir, you can perfectly replicate the authentic Israeli cultured dairy base by whisking together 1 cup of plain whole-milk yogurt and 3/4 cup of full-fat sour cream.
The Modern Piping Hack
If the rustic, knobby shape of the two-spoon method isn't for you, scoop the wet batter into a heavy-duty ziplock bag. Snip a 1-inch hole in the corner, squeeze dollops directly over the oil, and snip them off with kitchen shears for perfectly round mini-doughnuts.