North Africa · Street food
Sfenj (Light Crispy Ring Doughnuts)
Golden, airy Moroccan yeast doughnuts featuring a blistered, crisp crust and an irresistibly chewy, sponge-like interior.
The story
Found across every medina from Fes to Marrakech, sfenj are sold hot by specialised fryers called sfenji for early breakfasts or late afternoon tea. Derived from the Arabic word 'safanja' meaning sponge, these rings reflect centuries of Andalusian-Maghrebi street frying traditions. Traditional makers rely on extremely high-hydration dough worked aggressively by hand until it develops an elastic gluten web without sticking, using a two-temperature frying technique that allows rapid thermal expansion before crisping.
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