Raspberry-Dusted Sfinge (Moroccan Donuts)
What You Need
Ingredients
Preparation
These rustic Moroccan donuts, known as sfinge, are some of the quickest and most satisfying donuts you'll ever make. The frying technique might take a few rounds to master, but once you get it, the result is a perfectly imperfect light and fluffy donut. Traditionally, sfinge are dusted with sugar, but Ben Siman Tov (@bengingi) instead opts for a vibrant mix of pulverized freeze-dried raspberries and sugar. The sweet-tart coating gives these donuts a striking pink hue.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix active dry yeast with ½ cup/118ml of the warm water and 1 tablespoon of the sugar on medium speed until just combined. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
- Add olive oil, egg, ⅓ cup of the sugar, and remaining 1 cup of warm water and whisk on medium speed just until combined. Swap whisk attachment for dough hook. Add flour and knead on low speed, wiping down sides as needed with a rubber spatula, until you have a cohesive, sticky dough, about 6 minutes.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until dough has doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse freeze-dried raspberries with remaining ⅓ cup of sugar until you have a fine powder. Transfer to a wide shallow bowl.
- Once dough has risen, in a HexClad 8QT/7.5L Hybrid Stock Pot, heat canola oil over moderately-high heat until it reaches 375°F (190°C).
- Fill a medium bowl with cold water and place it by your bowl of dough. Working one at a time, lightly wet your hands and pinch off a golf ball-sized piece of dough. Poke a hole in the center and stretch it open by about an inch, then carefully drop your donut into the hot oil. Be mindful not to drip water into the hot oil as you work.
- Fry 1 to 2 donuts at a time, flipping occasionally, until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining dough, checking and adjusting the temperature of the oil as needed.
- Once donuts are cool enough to handle but still warm, toss in the raspberry sugar until completely coated. Transfer donuts to a warm platter and serve right away.