If you're anything like me, you probably spend a pretty decent amount of time contemplating whether you prefer yeast doughnuts or cake doughnuts. Yeast doughnuts are so fluffy and pillowy you think to yourself while walking to the train. Mid-shampoo you remember how soft and delicate cake doughnuts are. I understand what it's like, which is why I have given you the gift of a cake-yeast doughnut hybrid! The dough here has yeast in it and requires time to rise, but once it's fried the result is a super light doughnut that's slightly crunchy on the outside and airy like a yeast doughnut but also crumby like a cake doughnut. Also, I decked these out in three ridiculous flavors- dark chocolate matcha, mocha crème brûlée and s'mores. Just try not to spend too much time thinking about which is your favorite.
Ingredients:
Doughnut Dough-
2 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
2/3 cup of room temperature whole milk
3 1/2 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
1 heaping teaspoon of salt
3 large room temperature eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
7 tablespoons of room temperature unsalted butter, cubed
vegetable or canola oil to fry in
Chocolate Filling-
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
3 tablespoons of dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of whole milk
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3/4 cup of cold heavy cream
Matcha-
1/2 cup of matcha powder or green tea latte mix (like the one from Trader Joe’s)
3 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Mocha Creme Brûlée-
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
2 teaspoons of espresso powder
Extra granulated sugar for sprinkling
S’mores-
3 whole graham crackers
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
3 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
12 marshmallows, sliced in half
Recipe:
Doughnut Dough-
-In the bowl of your electric mixer or a handheld mixer, with the dough hook attached, stir together the milk and yeast until it is dissolved.
-Next add the flour, sugar, salt, eggs and vanilla extract and mix it all together on medium-low for 2 or 3 minutes.
-Start to add in the cubes of softened butter, mixing the dough until the butter is completely combined, about 4 minutes.
-Remove dough from the bowl and wrap it loosely in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Chocolate Filling-
-In a saucepan, or just a plain old pot, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
-With the heat on medium, whisk in the milk slowly.
-Bring mixture to a boil, constantly whisking.
-Once the mixture is thick, take it pot off the heat and whisk in the chopped chocolate and vanilla extract.
-Transfer the pudding into a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap touches the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight.
-Once pudding has cooled, whip the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
-Fold whipped cream into pudding until completely combined.
Doughnuts-
-Time to put together your doughnuts! First step is obviously frying them. Take your dough out of the refrigerator and roll it out to about 1/3-1/2 of an inch thick.
-Cut out rounds of dough using a cutter or a cup. Re-roll dough and continue to cut out as many rounds as you can.
-Place the rounds on a floured cookie sheet and let them rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours.
-Once that time is up, fill a pot with vegetable oil and heat until 350 degrees. I used a deep fryer because my grandpa likes to buy every single appliance he sees. Never change, gramps.
-Toss one or two doughnuts into the hot oil and let them fry for about 90 seconds on each side.
-Remove doughnuts from fryer and place on a plate or cookie sheet coated in paper towels.
-Once some oil has been drained from the doughnuts, follow the directions below for the specific doughnut you want to make!
Dark Chocolate Matcha-
-Place matcha powder in a shallow bowl and roll the warm doughnut in it until completely coated.
-Once the doughnut is completely cool, about 45 minutes, use a piping bag to fill doughnut with the chocolate pudding.
-Heat heavy cream in the microwave until steaming, about 1 minute. Mix in the dark chocolate.
-Drizzle doughnuts with the melted dark chocolate.
Mocha Creme Brûlée-
-Mix together the espresso powder with the granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.
-Dust the warm doughnut in the espresso sugar mixture.
-Once the doughnut is completely cool, about 45 minutes, use a piping bag to fill doughnut with chocolate pudding.
-Sprinkle the surface of the doughnut heavily with more granulated sugar.
-Burn the surface of the doughnut with a torch.
S'mores-
-Crush the graham crackers into crumbs and mix with the granulated sugar.
-Dust the warm doughnut in the graham cracker sugar mixture.
-Once the doughnut is completely cool, about 45 minutes, use a piping bag to fill doughnut with chocolate pudding.
-Heat heavy cream in the microwave until steaming, about 1 minute. Mix in the dark chocolate.
-Dip the tops of the doughnuts in melted dark chocolate.
-Slice a marshmallow in half and place each half, cut side down, on top of each doughnut.
-Torch the marshmallow until brown and toasted.
-Oh yeah.
