Daring Bakers' Challenge - October 2010

This month's Daring Bakers' Challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up and the theme was doughnuts! I was a bit intimidated when I read what I had ahead of me, not because it seemed like a very difficult challenge, but because I'm actually quite frightened of deep frying. It is a cooking method that rarely features in my home, which is great for health reasons, but I often find myself skipping across good sweet recipes that require the technique. But that's what being part of the Daring Bakers' Club is all about - challenging yourself, and getting out of your comfort zone.

And I'm so glad I did. It was a little scary, but I did it! I used a small saucepan to fry the doughnuts in the oil, and there was no spitting oil or burning - unexpectedly and pleasantly drama free! I am proud to say I have conquered my fear and now embrace the world of deep frying. Well perhaps not embrace, I do have to think of my health after all...

We had four simple doughnut recipes to choose from, but I decided on the Kate Neumann recipe for Raspberry Jam Bombolini. Bombolini are small, bite-size fried doughnuts usually filled with raspberry conserve. Mmmm... little fluffy doughnut clouds with oozy raspberry interiors. I also made some plain (i.e. without filling) and rolled them in the caster sugar along with a little cinnamon.You can get creative with these too by following the basic recipe and filling them with whatever takes your heart's desire. A little warmed Nutella perhaps? Phwoarrr!

Raspberry Jam Bombolini
Adapted recipe from Kate Neumann

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon lukewarm water
1 1/2 envelopes active dry yeast (3 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons milk
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup caster sugar, plus more for rolling
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 cups canola/vegetable oil, for frying
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam, slightly warmed
icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, mix the water, yeast, honey and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the flour. (Alternatively, whisk the ingredients by hand.) Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until foamy, about 1 hour.

2. Return the bowl to the mixer, fitted with a dough hook. Add the remaining 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour, along with the milk, egg yolks, 1/3 cup of caster sugar and the salt. Mix at low speed until blended, then add the butter and knead at medium speed until silky but sticky, about 5 minutes; the dough will not pull away from the side of the bowl. Using an oiled spatula, scrape the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

The dough once mixed...

and after resting in the fridge overnight

3. In a large saucepan, heat the oil to 360° (I used a candy thermometer to check on this whilst cooking). Line a rack with paper towels. Fill a shallow bowl with 1/2 inch of caster sugar. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough a scant 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3.5 cm round cutter, stamp out rounds; do not reroll the dough.

4. Fry the rounds a few at a time, until they are browned, about 4 minutes. Be sure to keep the oil between 360° and 375°. Drain the bomboloni on paper towels, then roll them in the granulated sugar. Continue frying and rolling the remaining bomboloni.
5.Fit a pastry bag with a plain donut tip (or a 1/4-inch tip) and fill with the preserves (you can also use a squeeze bottle). Poke the tip three-fourths of the way into the bomboloni and squeeze in the preserves, pulling the tip out slightly as you squeeze to fill them as much as possible. Dust the bomboloni with confectioners' sugar and serve warm.


It's challenges like these that make me really glad to be part of the Daring Bakers' Club. If you've yet to jump on the bandwagon, I urge you to jump aboard! It's a lot of fun and you're sure to learn a thing or two, and even conquer some of you baking fears!


Till next time...

Ladybird x