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yeast

Blackberry Jam filled Donuts

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I recently did a survey on my Instagram feed to see how many of you actually read blog posts…less than 50% read…most of you scroll through pics and just get right down to business with the recipe. So I decided to take a different approach today. Today’s blog post will be short and very sweet. a paragraph to sum up what this donut is. And a paragraph with short notes for handy tips and tricks… Leave a comment if you have time (something everyone said they were short on) and let me know if you prefer this sort of blog post!

ABOUT: This donut is also known as Berliner Pfannkuchen or pączki. Whatever you want call them, these donuts are AMAZING! How could it possibly go wrong when one deep fries brioche dough, cover it with sugar then fill homemade blackberry jam!!!

TIPS/NOTES:

  • Make sure yeast hasn’t expired…I store mine in the freezer !
  • I often get comments/messages that their yeast didn’t poof or their dough didn’t rise…either the water was too hot or not hot enough or the yeast has expired
  • This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of yeast. I have tested this recipe with 2 teaspoons and 2.5 teaspoons and Ive decided that 1 tablespoon is best for the fluffiest donuts…If you’re curious to know more about this yeast testing…feel free to email me.
  • This is a sticky dough…Don’t be tempted to keep adding flour.
  • After kneading and the first rise, let it rest overnight in the fridge…makes dough easier to work with and has time for the flavours to work itself in the dough
  • As well overnight chilling makes for better texture.
  • Dough can be stored in fridge for up to 2 days
  • Donuts need to be eaten same day when fried…I’m confident there will be no leftovers.
  • The jam recipe yields about 1/2 cup of jam-i prefer my donuts with less jam…If you prefer loads of jelly, feel free to double the quantity for the jam!
Dough is almost ready for it’s first rise.
A look inside from one of the smaller donuts
An earlier test version…These didn’t get a second rise once they came out of fridge…You can see they are not as fluffy.

 

Blackberry Jam Filled Donuts
Yields 12
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Prep Time
14 hr
Cook Time
12 min
Prep Time
14 hr
Cook Time
12 min
INGREDIENTS For the Dough
  1. 1 Tablespoon traditional yeast
  2. 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar (for the yeast)
  3. 1/2 cup milk
  4. 1 teaspoon salt
  5. 455 g or 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  6. 50 g or 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
  7. 4 large room temperature eggs
  8. 85 g or 3/8 cup or 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature & cubed
INGREDIENTS For the Blackberry Jam
  1. 340 g or 12 ounces fresh blackberries
  2. 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  3. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  4. 1 tablespoon cornstarch
INGREDIENTS for Frying/Finishing touches
  1. 6-7 cups of vegetable or light oil
  2. 300 g or 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar for dusting the donuts
  3. 6 oz or 170 grams = about 24 blackberries to plug the holes
INSTRUCTIONS For the Jam
  1. Make the jam while you're waiting for the first proof or when the dough is chilling overnight
  2. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, stir the blackberries, and sugar together.
  3. Mash the berries with a masher
  4. In a small bowl mix 1 tablespoon corn starch and 1 table spoon water together, add to simmering blackberries and stir until it starts to thicken.
  5. Stir and heat for another 15 minutes or until it has thickened (will thicken more when cooled)
  6. Remove from heat and run through fine sieve to remove the seeds
  7. Set aside to cool - add the lemon juice then cover and store in fridge overnight
INSTRUCTIONS For the Dough
  1. In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon white sugar and 1 tablespoon yeast, set aside.
  2. In small saucepan, warm up 1/2 cup milk to a simmer until it reaches 110F (not too lukewarm but not to hot to touch- just use a thermometer !)
  3. Pour over the sugar/yeast and stir. Set aside and allow to poof about 8 minutes
  4. In bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar
  5. In stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment, beat the 4 eggs, then add the poofed yeast/milk mix
  6. On low, beat in the flour mix-will look shaggy
  7. Swap out the paddle to the kneading hook and knead on medium speed for 2 minutes until it forms into a large sticky ball like form-scrape down sides with spatula
  8. Add the butter, a cube at a time making sure each cube is well mixed in before adding the next cube of butter (still medium speed)
  9. Drop speed to low and knead for 5 minutes
  10. Dough is ready when it is glossy and somewhat translucent but doesn't tear
  11. Remember this dough is a sticky dough. Refrain from being tempted to add more flour...It will be less sticky after an overnight chill!
  12. Cover your bowl with a damp kitchen towel, leave in warm room for 1 to 1.5 hours or until it has doubled in size
  13. Punch dough down once, cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight
INSTRUCTIONS for prepping the donuts
  1. Cut out 16 or so 4 inch square parchment papers, dust with a bit of flour and place on a couple large trays and set aside
  2. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter
  3. Roll out dough into a 9.5 inch by 13 inch rectangle, 1/2 inch thick and cut out about a dozen three inch discs with a biscuit/cookie cutter (and maybe a couple smaller donuts from the edge of dough)
  4. (You can take the cut out dough and re-roll 1 more time to get 3 more donuts-note these will not be as nice looking as the original discs)
  5. Transfer all the discs with a non stick food turner (flipper) to the parchment paper squares
  6. Cover completely with a damp thin cheese cloth or plastic making sure the plastic doesn't touch the dough...you can do this by placing small tumblers or shot glasses in between the discs
  7. Place in warm area of home and let rise another 1 hour
  8. If you feel like they are over rising/proofing, then start frying...overproofing will have them smelling like yeast
INSTRUCTIONS for Frying the donuts
  1. Fill a piping bag with the cooled blackberry jam and a small round tip, set aside
  2. Lay out a few paper towels on a baking tray
  3. Pour the 1.5 cups of granulated sugar on a plate ready for donuts to be dusted
  4. Add the vegetable oil to a large heavy bottomed pot or your deep fryer to 350°F - 365°F.
  5. Take the discs of donuts flipping it over with the parchment paper and drop in oil ...Fry 3 at a time...more will alter the temperature of the oil
  6. Fry each side about 2-2.5 minutes or until golden brown and transfer to paper towel with a slotted spoon
  7. Roll in the sugar after about a minute of cooling and set aside on a baking rack or wooden board
  8. Do this to all the donuts
  9. Take a chopstick or something to poke two holes on opposite sides of all the donuts
  10. Gently fill jam on both sides of donut with pastry bag
  11. plug the two sides of the donut holes with a fresh blackberry
  12. Bon app!
Notes
  1. Donuts must be eaten same day as when its been fried.
  2. I tend to like my donuts to have less jam than the typical donut...feel free to double amount of jam (ingredients would double)
Adapted from Brioche dough adapted from The Kitchn
Adapted from Brioche dough adapted from The Kitchn
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