Raspberry Jam Donuts with Vanilla Sugar

Recipe Source: The Sweet And Simple Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup of whole milk, warm
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks, room temp
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 1/4 – 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups raspberry jam

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the warm milk, 1 tbsp of the sugar, and the yeast and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Next add in your egg yolks, remaining sugar and turn the mixer onto low to begin to combine. Add in your room temperature butter in chunks to allow it to get evenly distributed in the mixture.
3. Next add in 1 cup of the flour, the cinnamon and salt, and continue to work the mixture on low until all of the flour is combined. Add in the remaining 2 1/4 cups of flour – one at a time, allowing the flour to incorporate after each addition.
4. Once all your flour is incorporated, set the mixer to high and allow the hook to work the dough for about 5 minutes – you want the dough to appear smooth and elastic. If after a few minutes your dough is a bit wet and sticking to the bottom of the bowl, add in an additional tbsp of flour at a time until this stops, adding up to an additional 1/4 cup of flour only.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead the dough with your hands for another few minutes, and shape it into a ball.
6. Butter your bowl and return the ball of dough to the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
7. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rough circle that is about 1/2 – 3/4 inch thick.
8. Use a round donut cutter, whichever size you prefer to cut out as many donuts as you can. I used a 2 inch round donut cutter, and it made really nice medium sized donuts, but you could use a 3 inch if you want them a bit larger.
9. Place your donut cut outs onto a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Set them aside in a warm place to rise again for 30-45 minutes or until slightly puffed up.
10. Place your donut cut outs onto a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Set them aside in a warm place to rise again for 30-45 minutes or until slightly puffed up.
11. While you are waiting for your donuts to rise, prepare the vanilla sugar.
12. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and vanilla until the vanilla is evenly incorporated. Set aside.
13. When your donuts are about 10 minutes away from being ready, begin to heat your oil. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat about 2 inches of canola oil over medium low heat, until the temperature reaches 350F degrees.
14. Once your oil is heated and your donuts puffed and ready, gently place 2 -3 donuts at a time into the oil to cook – depending on your pot size, just be careful not to overcrowd the pot.
15. Cook your donuts for about 45 seconds – 1 minute on each side before flipping and frying for an additional one minute on the other side. You can always look to see the colour before flipping to check that your donuts are a nice light golden brown and then flip them.
16. Once cooked, use a slotted spoon and allow the donus to drip off any excess oil into the pot. Place the cooked donuts directly into the vanilla sugar while they are still warm, and gently toss them to coat.
17. Once coated, place them on a wire rack with some paper towel underneath. Allow the donuts to cool for about 15 minutes before you fill them.

Directions:

1. Once your donuts are cool to the touch, take a wooden skewer and gently poke it length-wise through the centre of your donut.
2. Swirl it around a it to create a nice opening for your filling to squeeze into and repeat this process with all the donuts.
3. Next, fit a piping bag with a long filling tip and fill the bag with your raspberry jam. You might want to give your jam a bit of a stir to loosen it up if its a bit too stiff.
4. Grab a donut and place the piping tip right into the hole that you made in your donut and insert it as far as you can. Gently squeeze out the filling into the donut, letting about 1 tbsp of the jam fill each donut or however much your little heart desires. Set the donut down and repeat this process until all the donuts are filled.