EASY HOMEMADE CUSTARD DOUGHNUTS

Your Doughnut Cravings: Fulfilled

Bring the county fair right to your kitchen with this delicious custard-filled doughnuts recipe that uses Everclear® to keep doughnuts light and airy.

Ingredients:

For the Doughnuts:
3 ¼ C. all-purpose flour
1/3 C. sugar
2 tsp. dry yeast
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp. fine sea salt
3 ½ tsp lukewarm water
3 ½ tsp. Everclear®
½ C. softened butter
Oil for frying (approximately 6 C.)
Sugar for coating

For the Custard Filling:
1 vanilla pod
1 ½ C. whole milk
5 egg yolks
1 C. brown sugar
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour, sifted
⅔ C. heavy cream

Instructions:

To Make the Dough:

1. Place all dough ingredients into a stand mixer and mix with dough hook for approximately 10 – 15 minutes until the dough forms a ball and comes away from the sides of the bowl. Continue to beat on a higher setting until the dough is glossy, smooth and elastic.
2. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave it to rise until it has doubled in size (approximately 1 hour).
3. Once the dough has risen, tip it from the bowl and knock it back, kneading it a few times to get the air out.
4. Place it back in the bowl, cover again and allow to rise a second time, until it has again doubled in size.

To Make the Custard:

1. Place the milk into a pan.
2. Cut open vanilla pod and scrape out seeds into the milk. Add in pod.
3. Place the egg yolks, sugar and flour into a bowl and whisk together to combine.
4. Bring milk to scalding point then remove from heat.
5. Slowly pour hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking continuously.
6. Once combined, clean out the pan and then pour the mixture through a fine strainer back in.
7. Place pan back on heat. Gently warm and continue to whisk until the custard thickens. Once thickened, pour into a bowl to cool.

To Make the Doughnuts:

1. When dough has doubled in size, cut into roughly quarter-sized pieces and roll them out into neat balls.
2. Place them onto floured trays (spaced evenly) and dust with flour.
3. Cover trays loosely with cling wrap. Place the trays in a warm place to let the doughnuts have their final prove, until they are puffed up and risen.
4. Using an electric whisk, beat the heavy cream until it reaches medium peaks. Spoon this into the cooled custard and fold together.
5. Spoon the custard into a piping bag with a small round nozzle attached. Seal the piping bag and keep in the fridge until later.
6. Once the doughnuts have had their final prove, they are then ready to fry. Heat oil in a deep saucepan, heat oil to 350° F. Fill the base of a baking tray with sugar for dusting.
7. Using floured hands, carefully lift doughnuts off the tray. Carefully drop into the oil and cook on each side for 2 minutes. Cook in batches.
8. Once cooked, remove from oil, drain on paper towels then dust liberally in tray of sugar.
9. Once all the doughnuts have been fried and coated in sugar, fill with custard. Using a chopstick, make a hole in the side of each doughnut to the center.
10. Take the piping bag and insert the nozzle into the hole and fill the center. Finish with a bit of custard on the outside before serving.

Please Enjoy Responsibly.