Rose Vanilla Doughnuts Recipes

ROSE JAM DOUGHNUTS WITH VANILLA GLAZE AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a medium bowl, combine the yeast, milk, water and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and give it a little stir with a wooden spoon. Let it sit about 5 minutes, until it becomes foamy on top.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, orange zest and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Add the beaten egg and yolks, vanilla and yeast mixture and mix to form a very stiff dough. (It may be hard to incorporate at first, but keep mixing.)
• With the mixer on, gradually add the butter, piece by piece. This, too, will seem like it isn't going to incorporate, but keep on mixing for about 8 to 10 more minutes, scraping down the dough hook occasionally, until your dough is smooth and slightly sticky.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours. (Or refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before rolling out.)
• Cut out the doughnuts: Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out until about 1/2 inch thick.
• Cut out rounds of dough using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Press the scraps of dough together and let sit 10 minutes, then reroll the scraps and cut out more rounds. (At this point, you can refrigerate the rounds up to 3 hours before frying.)
• Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let rise for another hour, or until doubled in size.
• Fry the doughnuts: In a large cast-iron pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, heat 3 to 4 inches of vegetable oil to 350˚. Fry the doughnuts in batches of 3 or 4 for 1 1/2 minutes on each side until deep golden brown.
• Using tongs, remove the doughnuts from the hot oil and transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet to drain and cool.
• Make the filling: In a small bowl, combine the jam and rose water. Taste and adjust the proportions as desired. Spoon the jam into a squeeze bottle or piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip.
• Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt until smooth. It should be the consistency of a slightly thick glue - if it's too thick, add a little more milk; if it's too thin, add a little more confectioners' sugar.
• Dip the cooled doughnuts in the glaze and let any excess drip off. If the glaze has a hard time sticking to the doughnuts, that means it's too thick and that you should add more milk.
• Fill the doughnuts: Stick the squeeze bottle or pastry bag into the center of a doughnut, going as far down as you can without puncturing the other side. Wiggle it around, then fill up the hole with jam, leaving a circle of jam on top of the glaze. Sprinkle with pistachios and rose petals. Serve any remaining jam on the side for dipping.

MY MOM'S RAISED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 cup of warm water into a small bowl, and stir in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Allow the yeast mixture to stand until it forms a creamy foam layer on top, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place milk and vegetable shortening into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until the shortening has melted and the milk has tiny bubbles around the edge. Remove from heat.
• Place 1/4 cup of sugar and the salt into the work bowl of a large stand mixer and pour the milk and shortening into the bowl. Mix on low speed just to dissolve sugar; and allow mixture to stand until warm.
• Beat in the yeast mixture, eggs, and 1 cup of flour on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• Continue beating the dough on low speed until dough leaves the sides of the bowl, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 2 or 3 more minutes.
• Form the dough into a ball and place into a large greased bowl. Grease the top of the dough, and cover the bowl with waxed paper. Set the bowl into a warm place; let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough and roll out on a floured work surface to 1/2 inch thick. Cut doughnuts out of the dough with a 3 1/2-inch round doughnut cutter with a 1-inch smaller cutter in the center. Let the doughnuts rise on the work surface until very light and fluffy, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Gently pick up and drop the doughnuts into the hot oil, working in small batches of 2 or 3 at a time, and cook until the doughnuts are light golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes.
• Drain the doughnuts on paper towels to absorb oil.
• In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of warm water and vanilla extract, and stir in the confectioners' sugar to make a glaze. Spread a thin layer of glaze over the warm doughnuts.

DOUGHNUT ROSES

Steps:

• Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed saucepot fitted with a deep-frying thermometer. Heat the oil over medium heat until the thermometer registers 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and top with a wire cooling rack.
• Separate the biscuits, then cut each biscuit in half, creating 16 half-moons. Use your fingers to separate the dough of one half-moon into 3 layers. With the rounded edge up, gently wrap one layer around a fingertip to create the center of the rose. Slide it off and then wrap a second layer around the center, trying to match the shape of a flower. Wrap the third layer around the blossom, using a fingertip to lightly press the rounded edges outward like petals. Give the base of the flower a light pinch to secure the layers together. If the dough has dried out slightly, dampen it lightly with water and then pinch it. Repeat this process with the remaining biscuit halves.
• Carefully lower the roses a few at a time into the hot oil. Be sure not to crowd the oil or the temperature will drop. Control the heat to maintain 325 degrees F. Fry until golden brown all over, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on the prepared cooling rack. Continue with the remaining roses.
• Let the doughnuts cool completely and then drizzle with Floral Doughnut Glaze. Immediately sprinkle with dried rose petals or lavender, as desired. Allow the glaze to set for 1 hour.
• For the rose glaze: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, rose jelly and pomegranate juice in a small bowl until incorporated.
• For the lavender glaze: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk and lavender honey in a small bowl until incorporated. Add 1 to 2 drops of lavender oil, depending on the desired vor intensity.