Moroccan Honey Donuts

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.25 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
• ½ cup honey for serving
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour 1.25 cups of warm water (around 110°F) into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of instant yeast over the water and let it sit for 1 minute to bloom, then stir gently to dissolve.

2. 2

   Add 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 0.5 teaspoon of fine sea salt to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, wet dough forms — it should be much wetter and stickier than typical bread dough. Mix for about 1 minute until all flour is incorporated.

3. 3

   Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. You should see tiny bubbles forming on the surface and smell a light yeasty aroma — this is the dough becoming light and airy.

4. 4

   Pour 4 cups of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat. Use an instant-read thermometer to preheat the oil to 350°F — this usually takes 8-10 minutes. The oil should shimmer and move smoothly when you tilt the pot; if it smokes, it's too hot.

5. 5

   While the oil heats, fill a small bowl with cool water. Dip your fingers into the water so they're wet (this prevents the dough from sticking to your hands). Gently pinch off a golf ball–sized piece of dough and hold it over the hot oil — the dough should stretch slightly.

6. 6

   With one wet-fingertip, poke a hole through the center of the dough ball to form a ring shape. In one smooth motion, carefully slip the ring into the hot oil. You should hear an immediate, vigorous sizzle. Repeat with 2-3 more dough pieces, being careful not to crowd the pot — they should have room to puff and move freely.

7. 7

   Fry each sfenj for 1.5-2 minutes on the first side without moving it — you'll see the bottom turn deep golden-brown and smell a rich, toasted aroma. Using a slotted spoon, carefully flip the sfenj and fry the other side for another 1.5-2 minutes until it's golden all over and puffed like a pillow.

8. 8

   Transfer each finished sfenj to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. They'll continue to crisp as they cool. Repeat the shaping and frying process with the remaining dough, re-wetting your fingers between each batch.

9. 9

   While the sfenj are still warm and slightly soft, dust them lightly with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, or leave them plain if you prefer. Arrange on a serving plate.

10. 10

    Pour 0.5 cup of honey into a small dipping bowl and serve alongside the warm sfenj. Each dough ring should be crispy and golden on the outside, but soft and pillowy inside — the contrast is what makes sfenj special. Guests can dunk or drizzle honey over their sfenj as desired.

Tools you’ll need

• large mixing bowl
• wooden spoon
• damp kitchen towel
• instant-read thermometer
• heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
• slotted spoon
• paper towels
• small dipping bowl

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