Sfenj: Moroccan Fried Doughnuts

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons instant yeast
• 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour 0.75 cup of warm water (not hot, warm enough you can hold your hand in it comfortably) into a large mixing bowl.

2. 2

   Add the instant yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar to the warm water and stir with a fork until completely dissolved and foamy-looking, about 2 minutes.

3. 3

   Add the flour and salt to the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a sticky, shaggy dough forms with no dry flour visible in the bowl.

4. 4

   Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set it on the counter at room temperature for 15 minutes—the dough does not need to rise much, just rest.

5. 5

   Pour 3 cups of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot (at least 3 quarts) and place it on the stove over medium-high heat.

6. 6

   Heat the oil until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pot, and a tiny piece of dough dropped in sizzles immediately—about 350°F if you have a thermometer.

7. 7

   Wet your hands with cool water so the sticky dough does not cling to your fingers (re-wet them between each piece).

8. 8

   Pinch off a piece of dough about the size of a plum, form it into a loose ball by folding the edges toward the center, then gently stretch the center with your thumb to create a ring with a hole in the middle, about 3 inches across.

9. 9

   Carefully slide the dough ring into the hot oil—it will sink, then float to the surface in 10–15 seconds as it puffs up.

10. 10

    Fry the sfenj for about 1 minute per side, gently flipping with a slotted spoon, until both sides are the color of warm honey with golden-brown edges.

11. 11

    Remove the cooked sfenj from the oil with the slotted spoon and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

12. 12

    Repeat steps 8–11 with the remaining dough until you have fried all the pieces—you should have about 12 sfenj total.

13. 13

    Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and the ground cinnamon in a small bowl, stirring until evenly combined.

14. 14

    While the sfenj are still warm, dust them generously on both sides with the cinnamon-sugar mixture by sprinkling it over them or rolling them in a shallow dish of the mixture.

15. 15

    Serve immediately while the sfenj are still warm and crispy—they are best enjoyed within 10 minutes of frying.

Tools you’ll need

• large mixing bowl
• wooden spoon
• fork
• clean kitchen towel
• heavy-bottomed pot (3+ quarts)
• instant-read thermometer (optional)
• slotted spoon
• paper towels
• small mixing bowl

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