Tested a new dessert this weekend, and it’s a winner: Vanilla Doughnuts with a Trio of Sauces. Recipe below.
Yield
16 doughnuts
and 16 doughnut holes
Ingredients
1 cup Skim Milk
½ cup plus 1 T. Vanilla Sugar
1 oz. Active Dry Yeast
½ cup Solid Vegetable Shortening
3 large Egg Yolks
2 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Ground Mace
500 grams Bread Flour, sifted
Boiling Water
Vegetable Oil for drying
Vanilla Sugar for rolling
Blueberry Jam
12 oz. frozen Blueberries
1 cup Sugar
Caramel Sauce
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Heavy Cream
2 T. Butter, cubed
Salt to taste
Chocolate Sauce
4 oz. Milk
5 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate (72%)
2 oz. Heavy Cream
½ oz. Butter
2 oz. Sugar
For the Doughnuts
1. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and 1 T. vanilla sugar to 105 degrees F. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the shortening, egg yolks and remaining ½ cup of vanilla sugar and beat at medium speed just to break up the shortening.
3. Beat in the salt, baking powder and mace.
4. At low speed, add the flour 1 cup at a time until the dough is firm but still tacky. You may need to add more or less flour to achieve the desired consistency.
5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times. Pat it into a disc, put on a lightly floured baking sheet, cover with a towel and place into a turned-off oven. Set a large roasting pan on the bottom rack of the oven and fill it halfway with boiling water. Close oven door and let dough rise to double in bulk, about 1 hour.
6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and dust with flour. Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll to a 12-inch round, ½-inch thick.
7. Cut out doughnuts using a 2¾-inch doughnut cutter, stamping them as closely together as possible. (Alternatively, use a 1-inch cookie cutter to make all doughnut holes.)
8. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared sheets and return to oven, refilling the boiling water. Let dough double in bulk again, about 45 minutes.
9. Preheat oil to 350 degrees F. Set a rack over a baking sheet and cover with paper towels.
10. Fry the doughnuts until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to the paper towels. Then, roll in vanilla sugar when still warm to coat.
For the Blueberry Jam
1. Combine berries and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
2. Boil rapidly to gelling point, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
3. Reserve for service, thinning slightly with water if necessary to maintain viscosity.
For the Caramel Sauce
1. Carmelize sugar, then add cream, butter and salt to taste and to make a smooth sauce.
2. Keep warm for service.
For the Chocolate Sauce
1. Break up the chocolate into small pieces and put into a work bowl.
2. Bring the milk to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Stir gently until the chocolate is melted.
3. In the same saucepan used for the milk, heat the cream, butter and sugar to a boil.
4. Pour the melted chocolate into the cream mixture, return to a boil, and then remove from heat.
5. Keep warm for service.
