Morocco · Africa
Sfenj
Handle the wettest dough in the frying world with calm, oiled hands.
Moroccan sfenj doughnuts
The Chemistry in This Bake
Shaping a very wet, sticky dough directly into hot oil by hand — a controlled, repeatable handling technique despite the material's poor structure.
Learn the full technique →Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Instant yeast
- Sugar
- Warm water
- Salt
- Anise (optional)
- Frying oil
Method
Mix a very wet, sticky dough and let it rise until tripled and bubbly.
Heat oil to 190 °C in a wide pot.
Oil your hands well and stretch a portion of dough into a rough ring.
Slide it into the hot oil — it will set instantly on contact.
Fry until deep golden on both sides.
Drain and eat hot, dusted with sugar if desired.