I grew up thinking that the only foods associated with Chanukah were potato latkes and foil-wrapped chocolate coins. Maybe it was because I was raised in a very traditional Eastern European household, but I don’t ever remember seeing a donut on Chanukah while I was growing up. I won’t say that I was deprived, but the inclusion of sufganiyot, a beloved Israeli custom, has added an exciting new dimension to a holiday that is already chock full of fun stuff.
A fascination with donuts is not exclusively Jewish or Israeli as proven by the over 11,000 Dunkin Donuts locations in more than 33 countries worldwide. According to the record keepers at Guinness World Records, June 5th was declared National Donut Day in 1938 and the longest line of donuts ever documented was over 1,800 feet long, and created last spring in Berlin. Looking for the largest donut mosaic? It was created using 7,040 donuts in the Ukraine in January 2012. But statistics aside, there is no doubt that sufganiyot have been embraced by Jews worldwide who eagerly devour the wonderfully sweet bundles of carb-laden goodness all through the Chanukah season.
In an article featured by the Orthodox Union, freelance writer Carol Ungar, who is currently writing a cookbook analyzing the mystical meaning of Jewish foods, noted that 80 percent of all Israelis eat at least one donut per day on Chanukah. A 2012 Ynet News article reported that the number of Israelis who eat donuts on Chanukah exceeds the number of Israelis who fast on Yom Kippur and unconfirmed reports say that Israel’s Angel Bakery made 25,000 sufganiyot every day of Chanukah in 2011.
Over the years, donut mania has made its way across the Atlantic to the United States where bakeries have been putting their own spin on the ever-popular sufganiya.
“We make traditional French-style donuts,” said Yossi Flax, owner of Mirabelle on Coney Island Avenue in Flatbush. “They are filled with pastry cream and lightly coated in confectioner’s sugar.
There are no chocolate donuts to be had anywhere in Mirabelle.
“They are too sweet,” explained Flax, who is half French and half English. “Our donuts are all French and very traditional.”
At Podrigal’s, which sells donuts wholesale to other stores in addition to selling them at its own bakery in Boro Park, creativity abounds.
“We don’t have best sellers,” said Libby Greenfield. “The word ‘donuts’ is the best thing and people love them all.”
Podrigal’s is hoping to add several new flavors this year, with possible choices to include lemon, blueberry, pineapple and chocolate with innovative toppings such as coconut, crunch, caramel chips and chocolate chips.
There is more than just pizza on the menu at Jerusalem Pizza in Livingston, New Jersey. Donut lovers flock to the pizzeria in search of its handmade donuts.
“The secret to a good donut is using quality ingredients and [having] the ability to be patient and give them time to proof,” said owner Arie Jashinsky. “In other words, don’t rush. Take your time.”
Jashinsky estimates that he sold 1,500 donuts last Chanukah with jelly the most popular flavor, beating out vanilla and chocolate filled.
“That is our capacity,” said Jashinsky. “We make each one the old fashioned way, individually by hand. We get requests for more but that is really the most we are able to do.”
Strauss’ Bakery on 13th Avenue in Boro Park has been in business since 1960, baking breads, cakes, cookies and, of course, donuts. Donuts are a seasonal business at Strauss which is a main supplier to caterers. Vice president Tzvi Goldstein estimated that the bakery pumped out over 70,000 donuts for Chanukah 2013.
“The secret to a great donut is not to over-fry them,” said Goldstein. “You need the oil to be hot enough so that the donuts fry quickly and they don’t dry up or soak up too much oil. The trick is to get them in and out as fast as possible.”
While Strauss makes raspberry jelly, caramel, custard and plain donuts, it occasionally gets offbeat requests from customers including one for peanut butter and jelly donuts.
“The most unusual we ever made was a pesto-filled donut,” noted Goldstein.
If you are looking for jelly or custard donuts, steer clear of Bagels N Greens, with locations on 13th, 18th and Coney Island Avenues in Boro Park and Flatbush, where the phrase “gourmet donut” takes on a whole new meaning.
“Last year we had 38 different flavors,” said owner Reuven Deutsch. “We use a combination of flavors that give you the perfect texture, with a very mellow and delicious mouthwatering covering that is irresistible. You have to taste it to believe it. If someone is looking for regular donuts, we are not the right address. But if someone is really looking to eat the right donut, this is the destination.”
Bagels N Greens doesn’t skimp on ingredients or cut corners. It never sells a donut that is more than four hours old and 11 donuts are made with butter. Bagels N Greens makes its own chocolate syrup, caramel and whipped cream.
“We believe that donuts are a complete contradiction to diets,” said Deutsch. “If you are already sinning you may as well make it worthwhile instead of wasting calories on an inferior product.”
Deutsch estimates that Bagels N Greens made 55,000 donuts last year in flavors including Nespresso cappuccino cream cheese, halva and nougat, Oreo cheese with crumbs, caramel popcorn and a Black Friday donut with three different kinds of chocolate. The six-to eight-week donut season begins at Bagels N Greens sometime in November and continues for approximately one week after Chanukah. Diehard fans are so addicted to Bagels N Greens donuts that they have even figured prominently in a marriage proposal.
“ A guy was going to propose and he called me at 12:30 at night asking me to produce Rosemarie donuts,” recounted Deutsch. “We had someone working for a couple of hours and he made 18 donuts to spell out ‘I love you’ in donuts. The shidduch was done outside Bagels N Greens at 3:30 in the morning. It was a match made in heaven.”
For those who prefer to experiment at home, making donuts can be as complicated as you want, according to cookbook authors Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek. Mrs. Schapira, who grew up eating her grandmother’s donuts, never buys commercial ones.
“My two favorites are a no mixer donut, which as the name implies, you don’t need a mixer for,” remarked Mrs. Schapira. “The second is babka donuts, which uses precut pizza rounds, filled with chocolate filling, fried and topped with chocolate and streusel.”
Thinking about making fresh donuts for your family Chanukah party? Mrs. Dwek suggests otherwise.
“I learned my lesson a few years ago when I tried to fry my donuts fresh while getting 30 other items out on their platters,” said Mrs. Dwek. “It doesn’t work! A distracted donut maker results in burned donuts and if you see a picture of my dessert table, the platter with the label ‘donuts with chocolate dipping sauce’ is empty.”
Mrs. Dwek’s dream donuts? A baked donut hole, coated in butter, cinnamon and sugar, served with a white chocolate or salted caramel dipping sauce.
Food columnist recipe developer and author Tamar Ansch fantasizes about her ideal donut.
“My dream donut is one without any calories,” quipped Mrs. Ansch.
Allison Josephs of the popular blog Jew in the City confessed to enjoying both the glazed and chocolate frosted donuts from Dunkin Donuts but has traditional Chanukah favorites as well.
“I like them Israeli style, but with raspberry jam instead of strawberry,” said Mrs. Josephs. “I’ve had caramel filling too and those are amazing.”
Still not all foodies make their own donuts although creativity can yield donut like treats.
“I make sufganiyot French toast for my kids for breakfast,” said blogger Chani Apfelbaum. “I cut circles out of challah, dip in custard and fry them. I sprinkle them with confectionary sugar and pipe a little jam in the center. It looks just like donuts.”
As for me, I am trying to get through Chanukah without succumbing to the siren song of donuts. Hopefully I will be able to resist their soft middles, their decadent toppings and their magical fillings. I’m going to walk away and just say no.
I hope.