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Homemade Cinnamon-Sugar Donuts Filled with Valencia Orange Curd
These tasty treats are loaded with the delicious flavor of sweet Valencia oranges. The yeast donuts are fried until golden and coated with cinnamon and sugar creating a crunchy exterior and tender middle. After one bite they get even better when you are greeted with the creamy orange curd tucked inside.
SERVINGS: About 10 donuts
TIME TO TABLE:90 minutes prep time plus chilling overnight and rising, 30 minutes cook time.
INGREDIENTS:1 cup warm whole milk (105 to 115 degrees F)
¼ cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3 to 3 ½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 whole egg, beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¼ teaspoon salt
Peanut oil for frying
Orange Curd½ cup fresh Paramount Citrus Valencia orange juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Pinch of salt
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
For rolling donuts¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
PREPARATION
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the warm milk, 3 tablespoons of sugar and the yeast. Set aside and let bloom, about 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Add 2 ½ cups of flour to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Turn to low and pour in the bloomed yeast. Add the ¼ cup of sugar, whole egg, 1 tablespoon of butter and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Increase the speed to medium. Slowly add the remaining flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough comes together into a ball. It should be sticky, but still hold its shape.
3. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead into a ball and wrap loosely with plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight, 8 to 12 hours.
4. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about ½-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the dough into 10 donuts. Re-roll the dough as needed. Place the donuts in a single layer on a well greased baking sheet or a baking sheet covered in a silicone mat. Let rise for 2 ½ hours.
5. Prepare the curd while the donuts rise. Add the orange juice, 1/3 cup of sugar, 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg to the top bowl of a filled double boiler. Stir until smooth. Heat the water in the double boiler to a simmer. Add the 6 tablespoons of butter and salt.
6. Stir the curd while it cooks and thickens, about 10 minutes. It should begin to coat the back of the spoon. Strain through a mesh sieve to remove any solids that have formed. Stir the almond extract into the curd. Chill completely in the refrigerator, at least one hour. Stir it every 15 minutes to ensure even cooling as it thickens.
7. Stir together the ¾ cup sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
8. Fill a 4-quart pot with the oil to reach about 3 inches. Heat to 350 to 375 degrees F. Fry the donuts, working in batches, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through. Let drain on a sheet pan lined with paper towels for 30 seconds. Transfer each donut to the cinnamon sugar and toss to coat evenly. Let cool completely.
9. Insert a chopstick halfway through the side of each donut to create a canal for the filling. Transfer the cooled curd to a pastry tube or bag. Pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling into each donut. Rest the donuts filling-hole up while the curd sets to prevent it from dripping out, and serve.
