Recipe: Doughnuts with Kahlua Custard Filling and Powdered Sugar Glaze

DOUGHNUTS WITH KAHLUA CUSTARD FILLING

FOR THE KAHLUA CUSTARD FILLING:
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup Kahlua
FOR THE DOUGHNUTS:
1 tbsp sugar
1 pinch ground ginger
3/4 cup warm water
1 pack dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 beaten egg
5 to 6 cups flour, divided use
FOR THE POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk

TO MAKE THE KAHLUA CUSTARD FILLING:
In heavy saucepan, heat 1 1/2 cups milk until almost boiling. Stir in 1/3 cup sugar. Remove sweetened milk from heat and gradually add 2 eggs, stirring constantly. Return to heat. Cook over low heat stirring steadily until custard thickens. Remove custard from heat and stir in vanilla and Kahlua. Cover and refrigerate.

TO MAKE THE DOUGHNUTS:
In a coffee mug dissolve sugar and ginger in warm water. Stir in yeast and let stand for 10-15 minutes.

Scald milk in saucepan and pour into large mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt and shortening. Stir in egg and about 1 cup flour. By this time the yeast in mug should have a good foamy head. Stir it into the flour egg mixture. Add another cup of flour and beat well by hand until smooth. Gradually beat in the rest of the flour. Turn out onto floured board and knead by hand for 10 minutes. The dough should be very smooth, satiny and light.

Place the dough in a clean buttered bowl, brush top with a little butter and cover with warm damp cloth. Place in warm place and let stand about 1 hour until it has doubled in size.

Punch down dough and roll it onto a floured board to 1/2-inch thickness. With knife or pastry cutter. Cut dough into 2-inch squares or 2x3-inch rectangles. Cover and let sit until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Heat clean vegetable oil in deep fryer or large skillet to 375 degrees F. Using wide spatula slide doughnuts into oil and fry until golden, turning once. Lift out and drain doughnuts on paper towels.

TO MAKE THE POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE:
In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and the milk and whisk until smooth.

When they are cool enough to handle, take each one in turn, and using large kitchen syringe inject each doughnut with about 1 oz. of the Kahula Custard. Dip doughnuts into sugar glaze and let cool on wire rack. These must be eaten fresh.

Adapted from source: Thomas E. Haug, 1995