Jelly Donuts

• servings: MAKES 10 DONUTS
• total time: PREP TIME 45 MINUTES (1

Ingredients

FOR THE DONUTS

3¼ to 3¾ cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for rolling out the dough

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 packets (4½ teaspoons) instant yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

3 large egg yolks, at room temperature

2 quarts vegetable oil, for deep-frying

FOR THE FILLING AND COATING

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup fruit jam of choice (strawberry is my preference, but you can also use raspberry or blackberry)

Directions

1 First, make the donuts. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 2 cups of the flour, the granulated sugar, yeast, and salt and beat on low speed until combined.

2 In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk and butter. Microwave until the mixture is warm to the touch and the butter is melted, about 45 seconds (you don't want the mixture to be steaming or too hot, because this can kill the yeast).

3 Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture, add the egg yolks, and beat everything together on low speed until combined. Gradually increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. The dough will look more like batter, but this is correct! This step kicks off the gluten development.

4 After 2 minutes, change the paddle attachment to the dough hook attachment. Add 1¼ cups of the remaining flour and knead on low speed until combined and a soft dough forms. Knead on low speed, stopping the mixer occasionally to redistribute the dough, until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball around the dough hook, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough becomes smooth and supple, about 5 minutes. If the dough feels too wet, add the remaining ½ cup flour and mix for an additional minute or so.

5 Turn the dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Cover it loosely with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

6 Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle about ½ inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out as many donuts as possible, placing them on the prepared sheet pans and covering loosely with a dish towel or plastic wrap. Gather the remaining scraps together into a ball and gently knead them back together. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes, then roll out the scraps, cut the dough again, place the donuts onto the prepared sheet pans, and cover them with a dish towel or plastic wrap-you should end up with 10 donuts Let rise in a warm place until the donuts have doubled in size, about 1 hour.

7 In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-low heat to 325°F. Place a cooling rack on top of a separate sheet pan.

8 While the oil heats up, prepare the filling and coating. In a medium bowl, add the granulated sugar. Place the jam in a piping bag fitted with a ½/-inch metal tip.

9 Fry 2 or 3 donuts at a time (being careful not to overcrowd the pot) for 2 minutes on each side. You'll know to flip the donuts over when they float to the top of the oil and are golden brown around the bottom edge, right where it meets the oil. Use a slotted metal spatula to transfer them to the prepared cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining donuts.

10 Once the donuts are cool enough to the touch but still warm, toss them in the granulated sugar. Then, insert the piping bag tip into the side of each donut and firmly squeeze a few tablespoons of jam into the center of the donut. Serve within 4 hours of frying (but they're best while still warm, obviously).