Plump up the jam
V ariations on the doughnut date back to the middle ages. But the sufganiyah eventually triumphed in Israel—and it was thanks to a political coup. Jewish food historian Gil Marks relates how the Histadrut (national labour union) promoted them in the 1920s, as a way to boost employment. While latkes could be made at home, workers were needed to fry, package and deliver pastries. The plan succeeded and Israeli bakeries began to create increasingly exotic concoctions, including some that come with an attached vial of liquor. And the trend of over-the-top cre- ations eventually made its way to Canada. Just a few years ago, My Zaidy’s Bakery in Thornhill, Ont., offered just four standards for Hanukkah: raspberry jam, choc- olate custard, and caramel. But they’ve now rotated over two dozen varieties, all of which are parve and nut-free. Tiramisu, birthday cake and unicorn styles make recurring
appearances based on supplies. Key lime and a Lotus Biscoff cookie combination with deep caramel are on the agenda this year, along with a Napoleon cake creation stuffed with custard. Leora Atia, whose family has owned the kosher shop for four decades, is in charge of dreaming up new flavours. She keeps a running list open on her phone, ready to jot down ideas when inspiration strikes. After she recently saw a gingerbread latte at a coffee shop, she was inspired to make a sufganiya with a tiny gingerbread man on top. Following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the start of war, the bakery moved up its production by a few weeks, to bring some extra joy into peoples’ lives. My Zaidy’s unveils a different surprise flavour for each of the eight days of Hanukkah. So far, none of them have toppled rasp- berry jam as the most popular of all.
Oreo Cream
Chocolate Mousse
Passionfruit
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