These 3-Ingredient, One-Bowl Moroccan Doughnuts Are Crispy, Golden, and Delightfully Chewy

Golden, crispy, and deliciously chewy, sfenj are Morocco’s beloved yeasted doughnuts. Although they’re not often completely spherical like the everyday American doughnut, they’re no much less scrumptious. The identify, derived from the Arabic phrase for “sponge,” refers to their ethereal, tender texture, which is achieved with a extremely hydrated dough and a singular frying approach.

Historically, sfenj in Morocco are bought from neighborhood stalls relatively than being made at dwelling. Folks line up on the stalls on the nook of slim streets in metropolis facilities or at souks, drawn by the aroma of scorching candy dough and the rhythmic motions of the sufnajeen—the sfenj makers—who are sometimes generational masters of their craft.

These distributors fry the doughnuts to order, fishing them out with lengthy steel sticks earlier than handing them over. For bigger orders, generally many doughnuts are strung collectively and offered on a palm frond. Whether or not eaten plain, dusted with sugar, or drizzled with honey, sfenj are most frequently loved for breakfast or a day deal with.

The Greatest Technique for Kneading the Dough

Initially believed to have originated with the Andalusians, sfenj share similarities with different fried doughs discovered throughout North Africa, similar to bambalouni, khfaf, or sfinz. Their preparation is seemingly easy however requires just a few key strategies. A primary dough of flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and water is kneaded collectively and left to proof till bubbly and light-weight, then kneaded. The dough is especially moist, which makes it tough to knead utilizing your palms the normal approach. As an alternative of the acquainted push-and-fold kneading motions, sfenj dough is historically repeatedly slapped towards the bowl or work floor to develop the required gluten construction. Since making the dough by hand requires a good quantity of persistence and robust arms, I choose to make use of a stand mixer, which saves effort and time.

Find out how to Create the Sfenj’s Signature Mild and Ethereal Texture

In contrast to many different yeasted doughs, sfenj dough will not be punched down or deflated after its rise. Gently dealing with the dough is crucial to protect the dear air bubbles all through the dough, which contribute to the doughnuts’ signature ethereal, honeycomb-like inside.

The Distinctive 2-Step Frying Course of for Traditional Sfenj

The frying course of is one other essential facet of sfenj preparation. In Morocco, conventional sufnajeen usually use custom-built tilted deep fryers with two distinct oil depth ranges. The dough begins on the shallow aspect, the place the underside of the dough is submerged within the oil however the high will not be lined by the new oil. This permits the underside to set and switch gentle golden whereas the highest of the doughnut puffs. As soon as the highest of the dough has bubbled up and the underside is gentle golden, the sfenj is flipped and slid into the deeper oil to complete frying, leading to a crisp exterior and a comfortable, ethereal, barely chewy inside. 

I acknowledge that almost all dwelling cooks don’t have entry to this actual setup of their kitchens, so I’ve give you a two-stage frying set-up to attain comparable outcomes at dwelling. I name for utilizing two pans, one a high-sided skillet for shallow frying and the opposite a Dutch oven or massive pot for deep frying. It takes a bit extra consideration to observe the oil temperature of each pots, nevertheless it’s is effectively well worth the effort to attain sfenj that might impress any sufnajeen.

Find out how to Serve Sfenj

Sfenj are greatest loved contemporary, ideally inside minutes of popping out of the new oil. I like them merely sprinkled with sugar or drizzled with honey. Nonetheless, their versatility extends far past these easy toppings. A preferred and hearty Moroccan breakfast pairs sfenj with a freshly fried egg within the middle, a mixture beloved for its satisfying distinction of textures and candy and savory flavors. Whereas sfenj are usually purchased from road distributors, when served at dwelling, they’re usually set out with a wide range of candy spreads, similar to jam and even Nutella for smearing over high, making for a easy but indulgent deal with.

Prepare dinner Mode
(Hold display screen awake)