Beignets + Chanukah Party + a Giveaway

Happy Hanukkah! You probably thought we were going to post a recipe for sufganiyot, but nope. We’ve made donuts for Hanukkah in the past, but maybe next year we’ll stuff them with hot jelly. This year, we’re going France/New Orleans-style.

Welcome to our first ever Hanukkah Blog Party, hosted by Leah of Cook Kosher and Miriam of Overtime Cook. It’s traditional on Hanukkah to eat fried treats, most notably donuts and latkes, and we’ve got a fabulous array of Hanukkah themed recipes, treats and crafts from Jewish bloggers all over the world! Scroll down for links to all of the delicious treats. 

 

Have you ever had a beignets? It’s like a donut without a hole in it. I first had one in New Orleans and Cafe de Monde, which basically only serves beignets and coffee.

When my friends were visiting New Orleans, I made them a list of places to see, and of course, Cafe du Monde was on there, because every tourist just has to. They surprised me by bringing back a box of beignet mix—with a condition that I invite them over for these French donuts. Now, of course I made them, and invited them over, but boxed mix? That’s not very kosher foodie of me, and I had to rectify that. I needed to make from-scratch beignets!

So when I saw Bobby Flay making a Big Easy brunch on his Cooking Channel show, I immediately copied him. I figured, they’re no sufganiyot, but they’re round, and if instead of stuffing them I dip them in jam (homemade, of course), they’re almost as Hanukkah-y. Right?

Bobby served them with a quick blackberry jam. I decided to make a raspberry jam, because my husband prefers them over blackberries. I just mixed some berries with lemon juice and a little bit of sugar over the stove until it thickened. It’s much easier to make than when you’re preserving a whole batch of it!

UPDATE: Giveaway has ended! Thanks for playing!
To help get everyone into party mode, we have a bunch of fabulous new cookbooks to giveaway! Leave a comment on this post for your chance to win one of:
2 copies of Susie Fishbein’s new Kosher By Design Cooking Coach (sponsored by Artscroll)
2 copies of Leah Schapira’s  Fresh and Easy Kosher Cooking (sponsored by Artscroll)
2 copies of Esther Deutch’s CHIC Made Simple (sponsored by the author)
Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM on Sunday, December 16th. Limit one entry per person per blog, so visit the other blogs for extra chances to win!
Prizes can only be shipped within the US. Entries must be accompanied by a valid email address in order to qualify.

How to enter: Leave a comment on this post [please complete before publishing your blog post].

This is the second of many fabulous Holiday Blog Parties. If you would like to be added to the mailing list to participate in future parties, please email holidayblogparties@gmail.com

Beignets, from Bobby Flay

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (1 envelope)
  • 3/4 cup warm water (~110 degrees)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 3 1/2 cups flour, divided
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 quarts vegetable oil (for frying), plus more to oil bowl
  • confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

  1. Mix the yeast, water and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until it foams.
  2. Add the salt, lemon zest, nutmeg, egg, milk and 1 1/2 cups of the flour and mix on medium speed until combined.
  3. Add the butter and mix until combined.
  4. Add 1 3/4 cup flour and mix until combined.
  5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead in the remaining 1/4 cup of flour and knead by hand until the dough is smooth, about 5 minutes.
  6. Place the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand for about an hour, until it doubles in size.
  7. Remove the dough from the bowl and punch down. Roll it out onto a lightly-floured surface to 1/2-inch of thickness. Cut out circles and place onto a lightly-floured baking sheet. Let rise for 30 minutes.
  8. Heat the oil to 350 in a pot or deep fryer. Fry the beignets in batches (I did 3 at a time), rolling them around constantly with a slotted spoon, until they’re golden brown. It will only take about 1 to 2 minutes, so be careful! Transfer to a platter lined with paper towels and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with warm jam, if desired.
Stop by the other blogs and check out these Chanukah Themed Recipes:
Latkes:

Jamie from Joy of Kosher made Zucchini Latkes with Tzatziki

Daniel from Peikes Cookbook made Potato and Fennel Latkes Fried in Duck Fat With Chinese Five Spice Apple Sauce
Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen made Squash and Potato Latkes
Samantha from The Little Ferraro Kitchen made Ruby Red Beet Latkes with Cumin
Nechamah from TIforOA Food Ideas made Healthy Oatmeal Latkes
Liz from The Lemon Bowl made Traditional Potato Latkes
Yosef from This American Bite made Latkes & Brisket on Rye
Melanie from From Fast Food to Fresh Food made (I Can’t Believe They’re Crispy!) Baked Latkes
Laura from Mother Would Know made Three Variations of Sweet and Savory Latkes
Sarah from Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends made Kimchee Latkes
Shulie from Food Wanderings made Baked Panko Sweet Potato Leek Latkes
Donuts and Desserts: 
Miriam from Overtime Cook made Shortcut Cannoli with Chocolate Mousse Filling
Leah from Cook Kosher made 5 Minute Donuts
Estee from The Kosher Scoop made Tropical Fruit Fritters
Melinda from Kitchen-Tested made Sweet Steamed Buns
Amy from What Jew Wanna Eat made Homemade Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Gelt
Avidan from Baking It Up As I Go Along made Orange Olive Oil Cake
Tali from More Quiche Please made Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes
Amital from Organized Jewish Home made Mom’s Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
Princess Lea from The Frumanista made Túrógombóc
Stephanie and Jessica from The Kosher Foodies made Beignets
Gigi from Gigi’s Kitchen made Bunuelos: Mini Powdered Cheese Donuts 
Esther from Esther O Designs made Edible Menorahs
Patti from No Bacon Here made Hanukkah Oreo Balls
Shoshana from Couldn’t Be Parve made Churros con Chocolate
Shaindy from My Happily Hectic Life made Inside Out Apple Crisp
Eve from Gluten Free Nosh made Gluten-Free Hanukkah Sugar Cookies
The Gluten Free maven made Gluten Free Vegan Cake Donuts
Amy from Baking and Mistaking made Mini Cream-Filled French Beignets
Sarah from Food, Words, Photos made Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Victoria from Itsy Bitsy Balebusta made Pure Vanilla Donuts
Vicky and Ruth from May I Have That Recipe made Dulce de Leche and Eggnog cream filled mini sufganiot
Dena from Oh You Cook made Poached Pears in Pomegranate Sauce
Michele from Kosher Treif Cooking made Tiramisu Cheessecake
Sharon from FashionIsha made Sparkly Chanukah Cookies
Appetizers, Soups, Sauces, Drinks and other Hanukkah Food:
Laura from Pragmatic Attic made Caramel Spice Applesauce
Jessie from Bread and Butter made Honey Spiced Hanukkah Martini
G6 from Guess Who’s Coming 2 Dinner made Sweet Potato Leek Soup
Claire from I Love Soup made Sweet Potato, Coconut & Lemongrass Soup
Jennifer from Juanita’s Cocina made Kugel
Liz from Kosher Like Me made Ready, Stuff Roll!
Shelley from The Kosher Home made Hanukkah Crafts and Printables