Portland Cream Doughnuts Recipes

PORTLAND CREAM DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine milk, egg, egg yolk, butter, sugar, salt, nutmeg, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Meanwhile, for filling, prepare pudding mix according to package directions. Press plastic wrap onto surface of pudding; refrigerate until cold., Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; roll to 3/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. biscuit cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 25 minutes. , In a small bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into pudding. Refrigerate, covered, while frying doughnuts., In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 350°. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Cool slightly., Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; insert a small tip. Fill bag with filling. With a small knife, pierce a hole into the side of each doughnut; pipe filling into hole, allowing some of filling to spill out for a tongue., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Whisk in confectioners' sugar and hot water., Spread tops of doughnuts with glaze; let stand until set. If desired, pipe two small dots of vanilla frosting near the tongue for eyes. Refrigerate leftovers.

VANILLA CREAM-FILLED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together yeast and milk; let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and eggs; mix on low speed until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Continue mixing on low 2 to 3 minutes more. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, mixing after each addition and until butter is fully incorporated and dough is soft, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove dough from bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 15 hours.
• Lightly flour a baking sheet; set aside. On a well-floured work surface, roll out dough into 12-inch square about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-to-4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 9 doughnuts. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm spot until they've doubled in height and feel poufy and pillowy, 2 to 3 hours.
• Fill a large heavy-bottomed saucepan with oil to a depth of 3 inches; heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, place doughnuts in the hot oil, taking care not to crowd them. Fry until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes; turn and continue frying on remaining side until golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to a paper towel-lined baking sheet until cool enough to handle.
• Place remaining cup of sugar in a small bowl. Toss doughnuts in sugar, one at a time, to evenly coat. Return doughnuts to paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool completely, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in pastry cream; you should have 3 cups of filling. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip; set aside.
• Poke a hole in the side of each cooled doughnut and fill with about 1/3 cup filling; serve immediately.

CRISPY AND CREAMY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
• In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix for a few minutes at low speed, or stirring with a wooden spoon. Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a greased bowl, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise until double. Dough is ready if you touch it, and the indention remains.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and gently roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Let doughnuts sit out to rise again until double. Cover loosely with a cloth.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time until the icing is somewhat thin, but not watery. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large heavy skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slide doughnuts into the hot oil using a wide spatula. Turn doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Fry doughnuts on each side until golden brown. Remove from hot oil, to drain on a wire rack. Dip doughnuts into the glaze while still hot, and set onto wire racks to drain off excess. Keep a cookie sheet or tray under racks for easier clean up.