Sfenj, from Morocco — The ring shape of these Moroccan treats might be similar to the classic American doughnut, but instead of being smooth-edged, sfenj are quite rough-hewn. The yeast dough used for sfenj is sticky and unsweetened, and the doughnuts are often sold by street vendors. Sfenj can be enjoyed plain or dusted with sugar, for breakfast or with a cup of tea. Photo: Flickr/megan.chromik

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* For doughnut lovers, there’s a whole world of variations out there to the classic American doughnut. From Morocco to Mexico, these delicious treats take on many different names.  But it’s clear that fried dough in the shape of a ring has legions of fans around the globe. *

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USA Today/TheDailyMeal.com, by Elsa Säätelä (January 12, 2014) — Fried dough is a universal delight, and can be found in all kinds of shapes and flavors – from round and thick and filled with just about anything, to stick-shaped, to thin to flat. The style of preparation also differs depending on the region, and while all doughnuts are fried (or it wouldn’t be a doughnut, right?), some are cooked in oil while others are simmered in ghee.

In Italy, the Tuscan treat bombolone is a sugar-coated and often custard cream-filled masterpiece, which – different from a classic Boston cream doughnut – gets its filling piped in from above (instead of the side) and is left with a visible cream-top. In Northern India, Pakistan and Nepal, you can bite into the delicious flaky-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside balushahi, a yogurt-filled doughnut fried in ghee (a type of clarified butter).

Similar to the stick-shaped and widely known churros, youtiao, also known as Chinese oil sticks or Chinese crullers, is a lightly salted Chinese doughnut. But instead of dunking it in hot chocolate like the tradition with churros, these “oil sticks” are dipped into rice porridge or soy milk for breakfast.

To get a more in-depth scope of what fried dough treats look like around the world, look through the slideshow above of doughnut variations from North Africa to Nepal.

Sfenj

Morocco

The ring shape of these Moroccan treats might be similar to the classic American doughnut, but instead of being smooth-edged, sfenj are quite rough-hewn. The yeast dough used for sfenj is sticky and unsweetened, and the doughnuts are often sold by street vendors. Sfenj can be enjoyed plain or dusted with sugar, for breakfast or with a cup of tea.

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Jalebi

South Asia, India and the Middle East

Jalebi, common in South Asia, India and the Middle East, are delicate “loops” of dough resembling thin funnel cakes. The batter for these sticky sweets is fermented, and after frying, the jalebi are soaked in syrup. Like most pastries, these treats are best eaten hot.

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Youtiao

China

Youtiao, also known as Chinese oil sticks or Chinese crullers, are lightly salted Chinese doughnuts. But instead of dunking them in hot chocolate like is the tradition with churros, these “oil sticks” are dipped into rice porridge or soy milk for breakfast.

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Sufganiyot

Israel

Sufganiyot — fried, jelly-filled doughnuts — are a popular Hanukkah treat in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world. Different countries may call desserts like these by different names (in Russia, they’re ponchiki; in Poland, paczki), but wherever they’re found, sufganiyot are deep-fried in oil and filled with some type of jelly.

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Balushahi

Northern India, Pakistan, Nepal

The flaky-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside balushahi are doughnuts made with yogurt fried in ghee (a type of clarified butter), and they’re enjoyed as a traditional dessert or snack in parts of northern India, Pakistan and Nepal.

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Oliebollen

The Netherlands

In the Netherlands, ball-shaped and deep-fried oliebollen (literally translated as “oil balls”), are typically filled with raisins, and enjoyed around festivities like New Year’s Eve.

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Bombolone

Italy

In Italy, the Tuscan treat bombolone is a sugar-coated and often custard- or cream-filled thick doughnut, which — different from a classic American cream doughnut — gets its filling piped in from above (instead of the side) and is left with a visible cream top. Jelly variations are also quite common.

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Tulumba

Turkey

Made from an egg-heavy dough, the Turkish treat tulumba resembles crullers or profiteroles in texture, but with a crunchier outside shell. The small batons are piped into hot oil from a tube, and soaked in syrup after frying. Tulumba are also popular in other Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Croatia.

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Churros

Spain, Mexico

Churros have become popular in several parts of the world, but they’re often connected with Spain or parts of Latin America. There, churros — fluted wands deep-fried in oil and dusted with cinnamon and sugar — are often eaten for breakfast (or as a late-night snack) dipped in cafe con leche or thick hot chocolate.

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Koeksisters

South Africa

When looking for a sweet and deep-fried treat in South Africa, turn to koeksisters. These “braided” dough sticks are sticky and crunchy on the outside, and moist and syrupy inside. After frying, these treats are soaked in a sweet syrup flavored with cinnamon, ginger, and lemon.

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Sel Roti

Nepal

Nepalese sel roti are both a breakfast food and special-occasion treat, enjoyed during the Nepali religious festivals of Dashain and Tihaar. These ring-shaped doughnuts are made with rice flour, and fried thin and crispy.

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Munkki

Finland

Finnish munkki are similar to classic American yeast doughnuts, but much heavier and doughier. The batter calls for butter, eggs, milk, flour and salt, and the doughnuts can be found both ring-shaped or round and filled with strawberry jelly. If you ask for a “possu” (especially common at truck-stop cafés and other local bakeries), you will get a quite flat, almost square-like version of this same jelly-filled doughnut. The name “possu” means pig, and is referring to the ambiguous “pig shape” of the doughnut.

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