The fritters are about the size of doughnut holes and are perfect for Hanukkah. It’s also a great use for day-old or stale challah. The recipe halves well.
Adapted from 52 Shabbats: Friday Night Dinners Inspired by a Global Jewish Kitchen (The Collective Book Studio)
Ingredients
Servings 40 fritters
For the Fritters
- 1 1-pound loaf plain challah
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Confectioners’ sugar or cinnamon sugar optional
- Homemade or purchased chocolate sauce warmed, optional
For the Sweet Tahini Sauce
- ½ cup tahini stir in the jar before measuring
- ¼ cup cold water plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 to 4 tablespoons agave syrup
- 2 teaspoons silan date syrup, optional
Nutritional Facts
Nutrition Facts
Challah Fritters with Sweet Tahini Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
49
% Daily Value*
Fat
2
g
3
%
Saturated Fat
0.5
g
3
%
Trans Fat
0.002
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
17
mg
6
%
Sodium
32
mg
1
%
Potassium
51
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
6
g
2
%
Fiber
0.3
g
1
%
Sugar
5
g
6
%
Protein
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
40
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
16
mg
2
%
Iron
0.2
mg
1
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Instructions
TO MAKE THE FRITTERS
- Shred the challah into 1/4-inch pieces and place them in a large bowl.
- In a separate large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, bananas, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Add the shredded challah and stir until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Stir well.
- Wet your hands. Using your hands, roll about 1 tablespoon of batter into a ball. Press it together firmly and roll it again, squeezing to compact it into a firm ball about 1 inch in diameter. Place it on a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- In a 12-inch wide, heavy pot, heat 1/2 inch of oil over high heat to 350°F (for best results, use a deep-fry or candy thermometer, but the oil is ready when a bit of fritter batter bubbles as soon as it is added to the pan). Line a large plate with paper towels.
- Roll the fritters between your hands to make sure they are compact, then gently roll them off your hand and into the hot oil until you have 8 to 10 in the pot, being careful not to crowd the pan. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the proper temperature and prevent burning and cook until the bottoms of the fritters are dark golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fritters with a slotted metal spoon or tongs and cook until the other side is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the fritters to the prepared plate using tongs or slotted spoon. Add oil as needed and be sure to return the oil to the proper temperature between batches. (If desired, keep the fritters warm in a 250°F oven on an ungreased baking sheet.)
TO MAKE THE SWEET TAHINI SAUCE
- In a medium bowl, mix the tahini, cold water, lemon juice, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the agave syrup until very smooth (the mixture will seize up but loosen as you continue to stir). Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce is still thick but can be poured. Taste, and add more agave syrup, if desired. Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with silan, if using.
- Sprinkle the fritters with confectioners’ sugar (if using) and serve with the sweet tahini sauce and warmed chocolate sauce (if using), on the side for dipping.
Notes
VARIATION: Jam Challah “Doughnut Holes”—Omit the bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Stir in 1 cup seedless fruit preserves or jam and proceed with the recipe instructions. Serve sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar and with warmed chocolate sauce.
MAKE IT IN ADVANCE: The fritters can be made 1 day in advance, stored in an airtight container, and refrigerated. The Sweet Tahini Sauce can be made 2 days in advance without the silan and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
