Recipe: Jelly Filled Donuts

Jelly Filled Donuts
Yield: 1 dozen

3/4 cup milk or non-dairy liquid creamer
1/4 cup Butter or margarine
2 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
4 1/4 to 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup jelly or preserves (plum, apricot or raspberry) or whipped cream
1 to 2 egg whites, beaten
Vegetable oil

2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup hot water
2 teaspoons jelly or preserves (plum, apricot or raspberry)

In 1-qt saucepan heat milk over medium heat until just comes to a boil (5 to 7 minutes), stir in butter until melted. Cool to warm (105 to 115 degrees F).

In large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Add cooled milk mixture, 2 1/2 cups flour and sugar. Beat by hand until smooth. Stir in eggs, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in enough remaining flour to form soft, but manageable, dough. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, sprinkling additional flour on dough if needed to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough should be softer than bread dough). Knead lightly 2 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turn greased side up. Cover, let rise in warm place until double in size (about 1 hour). Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Punch down dough. On lightly floured surface roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. With lightly floured 3-inch round cookie cutter cut out rounds. Put 1/2 teaspoon jelly in center of half of rounds. Brush edges with egg white, top with remaining plain rounds, sealing edges well. Place on greased cookie sheet. Cover, let rise until nearly double in size (about 45 minutes).

Heat 3 inches oil in deep fat fryer or Dutch oven to 360 to 375 degrees F. Place donuts, no more than 3 at a time, into hot oil. Fry, turning once, until golden brown (2 minutes). Drain well on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or cool and dip in glaze.

For glaze, in medium bowl stir together powdered sugar, hot water and jelly until smooth. Dip donuts into glaze, place on cooling rack to set.

The temperature of the oil is very important when frying donuts. Use a thermometer to reach and maintain the proper temperature. If glaze thickens, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons hot water.