DONUTS

This week on Basics we're taking a look at donuts. We're whipping up a mess of jelly and cream filled donuts and also taking a look at the lesser-known sour cream donut.

Special Equipment List

Instant read thermometer

Biscuit cutter

Cast iron skillet or other vessel for frying

Paring knife

Piping bag to insert filling

Donut cutter

Shopping List

For Yeast Donuts:

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 1 tsp granulated sugar (for the yeast)

  • 1 packet active dry yeast

  • 350g all purpose flour

  • 75g white sugar

  • 1 tsp table salt

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • Additional flour for work surface

  • Vegetable oil

  • Additional sugar (optional for coating)

For Cream Filling

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 1 whole egg

  • 85g white sugar

  • 30g corn starch

  • Dab of vanilla paste

  • 2 cups whole milk

For Chocolate Glaze

  • 4 ounces chopped chocolate

  • 1/4 cup whole milk

  • Dash of instant espresso powder

  • 2 Tbsp corn syrup

For Jelly Filling

  • Seedless jam of choice (I used raspberry)

For Sour Cream Donuts

  • 600g cake flour

  • 1.5 Tbsp baking powder

  • 2 tsp table salt

  • 5 egg yolks

  • 250g white sugar

  • 2.5 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • 380g sour cream

  • Additional flour for work surface

  • Vegetable oil for frying

For Classic Donut Glaze

  • 400g powdered sugar

  • 2 tsp light corn syrup

  • 1/4 cup boiling water

Method

Yeast Donut

  1. Start by heating some milk in a bowl to 110°F and then add 1 tsp of sugar along with 1 packet of active dry yeast. Stir to combine and set aside for 10 minutes.

  2. In a large bowl combine 350 grams of all purpose flour with 75 grams of white sugar, and 1 tsp of table salt. Whisk to combine.

  3. In the same bowl add 3 large egg yolks and the milk and yeast mixture. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix dough together until it forms a large shaggy mass. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. Once dough is smooth, add to an oiled bowl, cover, and let sit for about an hour or until it’s doubled in size.

  4. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface, pat with a little bit of flour, and then roll out to about ½ inch thickness. Then use a biscuit cutter dusted with flour to cut the dough into donut rounds and place them on a rimmed floured baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

  5. Heat up vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet to 350°F.

  6. Add donuts to the oil and cook for about 45 seconds per side. Remove from oil and place on a wire rack to let cool. Before half of the donuts cool completely, coat them in sugar.

  7. Once cooled, take the donuts that are not covered in sugar and using a paring knife make an entry point into the side of the donut and add your cream with a piping bag. Once the cream is added, dip half the donut into the chocolate and let sit for about 20 minutes to harden.

  8. On the sugar donuts, make an entry point with a paring knife and add some seedless raspberry jam with a piping bag.

  9. Serve and enjoy! 

Vanilla Creme Patissiere (Filling)

  1. Combine 3 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 85 grams of sugar, and 30 grams of cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and creamy, and then add some vanilla paste.

  2. Bring 2 cups of milk to an almost boil and SLOWLY add to your egg mixture whisking while combining.

  3. Add entire mixture back to the saucepan and whisk over a medium low heat for about 5 minutes or until thick.

  4. Transfer mixture to a bowl and add plastic wrap directly onto the cream and chill for at least 2 hours.

 For Chocolate Glaze

  1. Combine 4 ounces of chopped chocolate with ¼ cup of steaming whole milk, a little instant espresso powder, and a couple tablespoons of corn syrup. Whisk to combine.

For Sour Cream Donuts

  1. Start by sifting together 600 grams of cake flour, 1 ½ Tbsp baking powder, and 2 tsp of table salt into a bowl. Set aside.

  2. In a stand mixer add 5 egg yolks, 250 grams of plain white sugar, and 2 ½ Tbsp of unsalted butter. Cream together before adding ½ of your dry ingredients and mix to combine.

  3. Add 350 grams of sour cream, mix until incorporated, and then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix for 45 seconds to 1 minute being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Your dough will be wet and sticky and that’s how it’s supposed to be.

  4. Place into a bowl, cover, and let rest in the fridge for about an hour or until completely chilled.

  5. Flour your work surface and turn out dough. Roll out to about ½ inch thickness.

  6. Liberally cover your donut cutter with flour and cut out your donuts in the dough.

  7. Heat up vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet to 350°F.

  8. Place donuts in oil and cook for about 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side. Remove and place on a wire rack. Do the same with your donut holes, but they will cook faster.

  9. Cover donuts in glaze and place back on the wire rack to cool and harden.

  10. Serve and enjoy!

For Classic Donut Glaze

  1. In a bowl sift 400 grams of powdered sugar along with 2 tsp of corn syrup and ¼ cup of boiling water. Whisk until smooth.

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