Sfenj – Moroccan Donuts Dipped in Honey

Method

1. 1. Mix the yeast, sugar and 3 tablespoons of the lukewarm water together in a jug and leave to activate for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
2. 2. In a large bowl, add the flour, salt, remaining water and the foamy yeast mixture and combine until you have a very sticky dough. If the dough is not that sticky, add a few extra tablespoons of water until you get to the right consistency - it should be too sticky to knead, but not as runny as a batter.
3. 3. Transfer the dough back into a bowl and cover with cling film. Let it rest for about 4 hours or until more than doubled in size.
4. 4. When the dough is ready, place the oil into a deep pan, and set over medium high-heat until the oil reaches 180°C. Alternatively, if you have one, use a deep fat fryer and set to 180°C.
5. 5. Dip your hands into water (this helps handle the sticky dough) and pull off a golf ball sized piece of dough. Make a hole in the centre of the dough with your index finger, and stretch it slightly to form your doughnut shape. Don’t worry too much about precision here, Sfenj are not perfectly circular doughnuts. Quickly and carefully, transfer the ring of dough into the oil and fry on both sides, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden - about 2 minutes each side.
6. 6. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the golden Sfenj to a wire rack lined with paper towels and repeat until you have fried all the doughnuts.
7. 7. To serve, mix the orange blossom water into the honey to combine and then, using 2 forks, dip each sfenj into the honey. Allow to drain off slightly over the bowl and then transfer to a wire rack. Sprinkle over the pistachios and rose petals and enjoy immediately, whilst still warm - Moroccan mint tea is a fantastic accompaniment!

Ingredients

• US
• METRIC

You'll Need