Tastes of Tradition & Faith

During Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, indulging in oily foods such as latkes and doughnuts is deeply rooted in history and tradition. These foods symbolize the miracle of the Temple menorah oil lasting eight days, a testament to the faith of the Jewish people. 

For over 1,000 years, latkes have been a traditional Hanukkah dish, embodying the holiday’s significance, much like matzah on Passover or apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah. Meanwhile, the tradition of sufganiyot — delicious, jam-filled doughnuts — was brought to Israel by Ashkenazi Jews from Germany in the 1930s and has since become a beloved Hanukkah staple. Jewish communities often have their own version of fried dough to celebrate the miracle of oil.

Chabad of Tallahassee and FSU, a beacon of Jewish culture and tradition, shares these culinary legacies, from traditional latkes to the ultra-sweet dessert of sufganiyot, ensuring that the rich account of Jewish holidays is celebrated in the most delicious way possible.

Photo by istock.com / Liudmila Chernetska

Traditional Sufganiyot Jelly Doughnuts

Total time: > 60 minutes | Yields: 12–14 doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 3 cups white bread flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 envelope dry active yeast (2½ teaspoons)
• ¾ cup lukewarm milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar, plus 2–3 more cups for coating the doughnuts
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 jar preserves/jelly of choice
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Cinnamon (optional for coating doughnuts)

Equipment: Candy thermometer that you can clamp to the inside of your pot

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of warm milk and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Add the dry active yeast and let it sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2. In the bowl of a mixer, combine 3 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Add yeast mix to the flour. Add the eggs and butter to the flour mixture. Mix the ingredients until they come together into a crumbly mix.

3. Mix in the rest of the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. (You can also do this in a mixer fitted with a dough hook.) Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

5. Punch down the risen dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. With a lightly floured rolling pin, gradually roll out the dough to about ½-inch thick. When rolling dough, let it rest periodically to relax the dough and make it easier to roll out.

6. Cut out 3- to 4-inch rounds with a lightly floured biscuit cutter or drinking glass. Re-roll the scraps to make more rounds.

7. Place the doughnuts on lightly floured baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them apart, and cover lightly with a dry towel. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

8. Heat a deep, heavy pot filled 3 inches high with vegetable oil to 350 F.

9. Transfer the risen doughnuts to the pot and fry them, a few at a time, until golden and puffed, about 1–2 minutes on each side.

10. Prepare a plate with 2–3 cups of mixed sugar and cinnamon.

11. Using a slotted spoon, lift the doughnuts from the oil and blot on a paper towel-lined plate. While the doughnuts are still hot, sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar (tongs are a good tool for holding the doughnuts). Set the doughnuts aside.

12. Fill a pastry bag (¼-inch round tip), squeeze bottle or zip-top bag with the corner cut off with jelly preserves. Insert the tip into the end of each doughnut, pipe approximately 1–2 tablespoons of preserves into them and serve.

Photos by istock.com / bhofack2

Traditional Hanukkah Potato Latkes

by Miriam Szokovski 

Total time: 30–60 minutes
Yields: 16 latkes

Ingredients:

• ½ an onion
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup flour
• Oil for frying

Directions:

1. Dice the onion and saute it in 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 teaspoon of salt until golden.

2. Grate the potatoes (by hand or in a food processor). Immediately transfer the grated potatos to a bowl of cold water.

3. Place the eggs, flour, fried onion and 2 tablespoons of salt in a separate bowl. Drain the grated potatos, add it to the rest of the ingredients and mix immediately.

4. Heat 2–4 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Test the oil by dropping a tiny bit of the mixture into the pan. When the oil sizzles upon contact, it is ready.

5. For uniform latkes, use a ¼ cup measuring cup. Scoop the batter and gently drop it into the oil. Press down gently with the back of the measuring cup to flatten.

6. Fry for 2–3 minutes until golden, then flip the latkes and fry 1–2 minutes on the second side. Repeat until all the mixture has been fried. (You will need to add more oil to the pan every couple of batches.)

Photos by istock.com / vm2002

Applesauce

Total time: 30–60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds apples
• 1 lemon
•  2 cinnamon sticks
• ½ cup apple juice, cider or water
• Honey, brown sugar or maple syrup to taste

Directions:

1. Quarter the apples and the lemon. Place in a heavy pot with the cinnamon sticks. Add apple juice, cider or water.

2. Cover, bring to a boil, and then simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally to turn the apples and make sure they do not stick. You may want to add some liquid. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the apples are soft. Remove cinnamon sticks.

3. Put the sauce through a food mill and adjust the sweetness by adding honey, brown sugar or maple syrup to taste.

Copyright Joan Nathan

All recipes were provided by Chabad of Tallahassee and FSU. More recipes can be found at the organization’s website, ChabadTallahassee.com.