For the past 2 years I’ve done my Jewish friends and family a disservice by not sharing any Hanukkah-themed treats around the holidays on my blog. Santa hats, Christmas trees, and snowmen have captured my attention instead, but I still love latkes and can rock a mean dreidel. So this year, since Hanukkah fell during my winter break, I made sure to honor the Jews in my life with some Nutella filled donuts. Hanukkah celebrates the story of oil burning for eight nights instead of one, so a lot of the food surrounding the festival of lights is fried in oil. So today, on the 7th night of Hanukkah, I bring you fluffy, light, delicious donuts tossed in sugar and filled with Nutella. L’chaim!
I really loved the way these donuts turned out – the dough was easy to work with and yielded the fluffiest donuts I’ve made yet. I could have just left them plain, but I’ve been wanting to make filled donuts for awhile now, so I simply filled a pastry bag with some Nutella and used a large Bismark tip to fill each donut. I could have filled them with some pastry cream dyed blue to be really festive, but I figured a chocolatey surprise would be more appetizing than a bright blue one. But then again I’ve made green, yellow, and purple cupcakes so I’m not one to talk…
As always, be careful when deep frying – I burnt my hand, my nose, and my cheek last winter break making chocolate donuts so I know from experience! But every since my burning incident, I’ve been very cautious and escaped this frying endeavor burn-free. Maybe it was caution, maybe it was a Hanukkah miracle, but all I know is I’m glad I won’t be rocking a band-aid on my nose this New Year’s Eve.
Happy Hanukkah!
Nutella-Filled Donuts
Recipe adapted from Buns in My Oven
Yield: 20 small donuts
Ingredients:
1 package (2-1/2 tsp) active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk, at room temperature
3-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/3 cups sugar, divided
2 tsp salt
3 eggs
7 tbsp butter, at room temperature
Canola oil, for frying
Nutella, for filling
Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the yeast and milk and allow the yeast to dissolve for 1 minute.
Add the flour, 1/3 cup of the sugar, salt, and eggs and mix on low for about 4 minutes to develop the dough.
Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, and continue mixing for 5 to 6 minutes.
Remove the dough and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 6-15 hours.
When dough is chilled, lightly flour a baking sheet and your work surface. Roll out the dough into a 12″ square about 1/2″ thick. I used a 2″ round biscuit cutter to cut out the donuts, but use whatever size you want. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet, cover in plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm spot for 2-3 hours or until doubled in height.
When ready to fry, heat 3″ of oil in a pot to 350 degrees. Line a plate with paper towels and put the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a small bowl.
Add the donuts to the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry on each side for about 2-3 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove donuts with a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towel-lined plate to drain. When cool enough to handle, toss in sugar to coat and return donuts to tray to cool completely.
Fill pastry bag fitted with a Bismarck or round tip with Nutella and squirt about 1/4-1/3 of a cup of Nutella in each donut. Best enjoyed immediately.
Nutella’s good in just about anything, isn’t it? ;)
yumm
Do I have to save these for Hanukkah? Why not the first Friday of June? The National Day of Donuts!
sufganiyot!!! every year my sisters family orders these from a local jewish bakery for Hanukkah. can’t wait to share this recipe with her. and with nutella..Yum!
Can’t wait to try these! Thanks for sharing.
Nutella and donuts – definition of indulgence :-).
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