Tea Recipe: Kama Chai Sufganiyot with Orange-Pumpkin Buttercream

Tonight marks the first day of Hanukkah, a night for celebrating amazing things.

And what could be more amazing than a Sufganiyot (an Israeli doughnut) infused with tea?!

So here, for my Jewish friends and goyim alike, here is my version of a recipe I found on one of my favourite websites.

How to Make Kama Chai Sufganiyot with Orange-Pumpkin Buttercream

For the doughnuts:

• 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• Vegetable oil, for coating the bowl
• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon Kama Chai Sutra tea
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), cut into 8 pieces and at room temperature

For the buttercream filling:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), at room temperature
• 1/4 cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (optional)
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 quarts vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Procedure

1. For the doughnuts, first place 2 1/2 cups of flour, the cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to aerate and combine; set aside. Coat a second large bowl with vegetable oil; set aside.

2. Then, steep your tea leaves for 7 minutes, then strain and allow to cool to just over room temperature (anywhere between 105F to 115F).

3. Place the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a medium bowl. Add the warm tea and stir to combine, then let sit until the mixture is foaming about 5 minutes.

4. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add this mixture to the reserved flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and begins to form a ball.

5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Scatter the butter pieces over the dough and knead until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add up to 1/4 cup of additional flour as needed if the dough is sticky. Form the dough into a ball, place it in the oiled bowl, and turn to coat it in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Once the dough has risen, punch it down, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, and roll it out until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2-1/2-inch round cutter, stamp out as many dough rounds as possible and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1/4 inch apart. Gather the dough scraps into a ball and roll out and cut again. Discard any remaining dough scraps.

7. Cover the dough rounds loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let them rise in a warm place until puffy and about 1/2 inch thick, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling.

8. For the buttercream filling, place the butter, pumpkin, nutmeg, and orange zest (if using) in a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Add the powdered sugar and whisk until completely smooth and combined. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip; set aside at room temperature.

To finish

Place the oil in a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot and set it over medium heat until the temperature reaches 365°F on a candy/fat thermometer. Meanwhile, fit a wire rack over a second baking sheet; set aside. Place the sugar in a large bowl; set aside.

When the oil is ready, add 4 of the dough rounds and fry until golden brown, flipping halfway through, about 2 minutes total. (If air bubbles appear in the doughnuts, pierce them with the tip of a paring knife.) Using a slotted spoon, remove the doughnuts to the wire rack. Add 4 more dough rounds to the oil. While these dough rounds are frying, use tongs to transfer the first 4 (still-hot) doughnuts into the bowl of sugar. Toss to coat in the sugar, then return to the wire rack. Repeat frying and sugarcoating the remaining dough rounds.

When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to puncture the side of each to form a pocket in the centre. Place the tip of the piping bag into the pocket and pipe about 1 heaping teaspoon of buttercream inside.