Nothing says Chanukah in Israel like sufganiot. About 15 minutes after the completion of the sukkot holiday bakeries all over the country start getting ready for Chanukah, more than a month and a half away, flooding their store fronts, print adds, and Internet sights with mouthwatering samples of their gorgeously crafted and oft uniquely flavoured seasonal treats. Gone are the days of raspberry jam filled, powdered sugar covered sufganiot. The classic has evolved into gourmet offerings ranging from caramel cream and chocolate filled, to specialty confections featuring halva, pistachio, espresso, and other high end pastry creams. Over the past few years some bakeries developed the ingenious system of incorporating small infusion bottles filled with sweet liquors into their treats, making the whole sufgania experience into one Israelis and visitors alike anxiously look forward to.
As a family we definitely enjoy sampling the bakery treats early in the holiday. But nothing quite compares to homemade sufganiot warm and soft prepared with love at home. Here is a unique take on a favourite Israeli coffee house confection. An easy to prepare homemade sufgania filled with a no bake mousse like cheesecake filling, topped with a simple glaze and covered with a home-made crumble topping. Perfectly balanced and not over the top sweet, a perfect dairy dessert in the spirit of Chanukah in Israel.
Here’s my recipe for Israeli Sufganiyot.
Photos by: Photoli Photography by Andrea Brownstein – www.photoli.net
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