You probably don’t know just how much Homer Simpson and I have in common. We both live (or lived) in a city named Springfield. He drinks Duffs beer and I use Duff’s cake decorating products. Homer works at a nuclear power plant and I studied Radiation Science in grad school, and we both love DONUTS.

Yesterday morning was donut day in the 1y Kitchen.  I had a recipe for yeast donuts and Emeril’s recipe (modified) for raspberry jelly donut filling, plus, I had extra crème pat and chocolate ganache waiting in the fridge from some tartlets I made for a party last Sunday which were perfect for a few Boston Cream dessert donuts. What could possibly go wrong with this?

Notes to self:

1. Check ingredient quantities in the pantry before starting. It may save a quick trip to the market while dough is rising, such as sugar for coating donuts while still hot.
2. If you are totally out of sugar, save yourself a trip and buy two bags. You will need it eventually.
3. Make the jelly filling while the donuts are rising. It will need to cool.
4. Nuke the left-over ganache. You can add a little hot and heavy cream and sugar to sweeten. Mix thoroughly to dissolve the sugar. (Use confectioners or casting sugar, it will be easier to dissolve.)
5. Add extra egg whites to the container in the fridge. You will want to make more pavlovas soon

Jelly Donuts

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp active dry yeast
• ½ c milk (100^oF – 110^oF)
• ⅓ c sugar (rounded, not level)
• 2¼ c all-purpose flour
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp room temperature unsalted butter
• 2 Tsp salt
• 3 c vegetable oil
• 1 c fresh raspberry jam

Method

1. Place yeast, warm milk, and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Place flour in a large bowl. Create a well in the center and add eggs, yeast mixture, ¼ cup sugar, butter, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir dough starts to come together and is sticky. Flour a work surface and knead until dough is smooth, soft, and bounces back when poked with a finger, about 8 minutes (add more flour if necessary). Place in a lightly oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, 1 – 1½ hours.
3. Lightly flour a work surface, roll dough to ¼“thick. Using a 2½” round cutter, cut as many rounds as you can. I rolled the extra into small balls (< 1” diameter) and made donut holes. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise 15 minutes. They didn’t rise much, but they will puff up in the hot oil.
4. In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until a deep-frying thermometer registers 370 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, or skimmer, carefully slip 2 rounds into oil. Fry until golden, about 40 seconds. Turn doughnuts over; fry until golden on other side, another 40 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, or skimmer, transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Roll in sugar while warm. Fry all dough, and roll in sugar.
5. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #230 tip with jam. Poke the pastry tip into and end of the donut, pipe about 2 teaspoons jam into doughnut. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.

Fresh Raspberry Donut Filling

Ingredients

• 6 oz fresh raspberries
• ⅔ c water (⅓ added to raspberries, ⅓ for cornstarch below)
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp of citric juice (I used Key Lime juice as we had some in the fridge)
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in ⅓ cup of water (There is a total of ⅔ cups of water)

Method

1. In a saucepan combine the raspberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the raspberries have broken down.
2. Remove the mixture from the heat and strain with a fine mesh sieve.
3. Return the stained mixture to the heat. (There should be about 2 cups of mixture.)
4. Dissolve the cornstarch in ⅓ cup of water.
5. Whisk the slurry into the raspberry mixture.
6. Bring the mixture back to a boil then simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove from heat and cool completely. It will thicken into a thin jelly.

Boston Cream Donuts

1. Follow above directions substituting filling the donuts with crème pat instead of jelly
2. Dip one flat side of the donut into warmed ganache and set aside to dry.