Let’s Talk Chanukah! (#12)

Let’s Talk Chanukah! (#12)

Guest: Jamie Geller & Chef Laura Frankel

Jamie Geller is BAAACK! and Chef Laura Frankel joins in for this episode. We talk about Israeli food and lots about Chanukah latkas and sufganiyot. I think you are going to be so ready for Chanukah and latkes by the time you get to the end of this episode.

Happy Holidays to all. We’ll be back with our next episode of The Big Schmear on January 8. 

 

Over the Top  Sufganiyot

Over the Top Sufganiyot

You could serve Classic Sufganiyot, or you could take your Chanukah OOT (over the top) with this doughnut. Tart lemon curd filling and sweet meringue topping make these doughnuts into mini pies. 

Over the Top Sufganiyot

Servings 12 Doughnuts

Ingredients
  

  • INGREDIENTS
  • DOUGH:
  • • 1¼ cups coconut milk heated to 90°F
  • • 1 0.75 ounce package yeast
  • • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • • 2 egg yolks
  • • 1 whole egg
  • • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • • ¼ cup sugar
  • • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • • 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more rolling out the doughnuts
  • • 2 quarts extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
  • FILLING & TOPPING:
  • • 1 cup favorite jelly loaded into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip
  • • Confectioner’s sugar
  • LEMON CURD FILLING
  • • Zest from 4 lemons
  • • ½ cup of lemon juice 4 lemons
  • • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • • 4 ounces 1 stick unsalted butter
  • • 5 eggs
  • • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • • Pinch of kosher salt
  • LEMON MERINGUE TOPPING
  • • 3 egg whites
  • • ½ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions
 

  • PREPARATION
  • DOUGH:
  • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly dust the sheets with flour. Line 2 additional baking sheets with paper towels. 
  • In the bowl of a standing mixer or in a large bowl, stir together warm milk, yeast, and 1 cup flour. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes. With a dough hook fitted to the mixer, and the motor on LOW, add eggs, evoo, vanilla extract, sugar, salt, and remaining flour. Alternatively, you can mix in ingredients by hand. 
  • Knead by mixer or by hand until it’s smooth and elastic. If making doughnuts the same day, place dough in a lightly greased bowl and let rise for 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size. Or, lightly oil dough, place in a resealable bag, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
  • When ready to make the doughnuts, lightly flour your work surface and roll dough to ¼-inch thick. Cut dough into desired size doughnut with cookie or doughnut cutters. For a filled doughnut, do not cut out a center. If using the make ahead dough method, let dough come to room temperature before rolling and cutting.
  • Place cut dough on prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flour. Allow doughnuts to rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
  • Pour 2 quarts of oil in a large heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven fitted with a deep fry thermometer and place on medium-high heat. Once oil reaches 360°F on the deep fry thermometer, place several doughnuts in oil and fry 2 minutes per side. Use chopsticks to gently flip the doughnuts over and fry for 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. Transfer fried doughnuts to paper towel lined sheets.
  • FILLING & TOPPING:
  • Once the doughnuts have cooled a bit, poke a hole either in the side or on top and fill with jelly, Chocolate Pastry Cream or Lemon Pastry Cream. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or dip in Luscious Vanilla Bean Glaze or Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze.
  • You could serve Classic Sufganiyot, or you could take your Chanukah OOT (over the top) with this doughnut. Tart lemon curd filling and sweet meringue topping make these doughnuts into mini pies. 
  • Since this filling and topping take about 30 minutes to make, you can start making them while the Classic Sufganiyot are rising before frying.
  • PREPARATION
  • LEMON CURD FILLING:
  • Whisk zest and juice, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt together in a stainless steel or other non-reactive saucepan over low heat. Continue whisking until curd is thick and starts to bubble. 
  • Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the cream (so that it touches the cream) to cover the surface and keep a skin from forming. Cool completely.
  • Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a round tip, with lemon curd. Poke a hole in the side or on top of the Sufganiyot and fill.
  • LEMON MERINGUE TOPPING:
  • In a medium-size, heatproof bowl, whisk together egg whites and sugar.
  • Place the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl.
  • Keep whisking the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. You can easily check whether the sugar has dissolved by rubbing a bit of the mixture between your fingers; the mixture shouldn't feel grainy. 
  • Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the warm mixture until the meringue holds a stiff peak and has cooled to room temperature.
  • Dollop the meringue on top of the doughnuts in “peaks.” Use a kitchen torch to brown meringue for a bruléed effect, or skip the torch and eat.

Jamie Geller: The Queen of Kosher (#11)

Jamie Geller: The Queen of Kosher (#11)

Guest: Jamie Geller

​I’m excited to talk with Jamie Geller of Joy of Kosher magazine in this episode. She’s an amazing woman with tons of energy and it’s all focused on preparing Jewish food. Join me for learning how Jamie went from American journalist to Jewish Kosher food & Israel; from “The Bride who Knew Nothing” to the head of a Joy of Kosher food magazine.

Although we taped this in September you’ll see our focus on Hanukkah in the recipes she shares.

POTATO PANCAKES RECIPE: EASY LATKES

POTATO PANCAKES RECIPE: EASY LATKES

Nothing like the way our bubbies made latkes in the old country! These latkes are not loaded with potato starch, flour, baking powder or other non-essential ingredients. Jamie’s grandfather shared this recipe with her when she told him that she thought his were the crunchiest, lightest and most perfect potato latkes I’ve ever eaten.

 

POTATO PANCAKES RECIPE: EASY LATKES

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 medium Idaho potatoes
  • 6 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
  • 3 eggs beaten
  • 2 tablespoon matzoh meal
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • Applesauce or sour cream: optional

Instructions
 

  • Prepare a large bowl filled with cold water.
  • Peel potatoes, and as you finish each, place in cold water to prevent browning.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Cut potatoes lengthwise into halves or quarters so they fit into food processor feed tube. Process potatoes using the blade that creates thin, shoestring-like strips and transfer to a large bowl.
  • Add eggs, matzoh meal, salt and pepper and mix well.
  • Drop 6 to 8 spoonfuls of mixture into hot oil. Using the back of a spoon, pat down each latke to flatten it. Put as many as you can in the skillet without crowding. Putting them too close together will make them soggy.
  • Fry 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp around the edges; repeat procedure until finished with all the batter.
  • Blot excess oil with paper towels.
  • Serve warm with applesauce or sour cream, if desired.
  • TIPS
  • Corn meal is a great substitute for matzoh meal and will also make your latkes nice and crispy.