Phenomenal Phoods

DIY Box of Brioche Doughnuts

Ingredients:

For the brioche doughnuts For the vanilla bean custard For the chocolate custard For the pistachio filling For the cherry mint filling For the coffee filling

Instructions:

For the brioche doughnuts
  1. Combine the yeast and warm milk in a small dish and let sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast until it becomes foamy.
  2. Combine the yeast mixture and all ingredients except for the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Mix for 5 minutes until well combined.
  3. Turn the mixer down to low and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition. Once all of the butter has been added, turn the mixer to high and mix until the dough is smooth and pulled away from the sides of the bowl. This should take another 5 minutes or so.
  4. Brush a large bowl with oil (I just used the oil I planned to use for frying) and place the dough in the bowl. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let sit in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the dough is doubled in size. I usually turn the oven to the lowest setting and then turn it off. I store the bowl in the warmed oven with the door cracked open to rise.
  5. If you are making this all in one day, feel free to move on to step 6. If you're making the dough ahead of time (highly recommend), punch the dough down and store it in the fridge overnight.
  6. When ready, remove the dough from the fridge and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 20 equal pieces (I used a kitchen scale). Roll into tight rolls by placing each piece in the palm of your hand and rolling vigorously against the countertop. Place on lightly floured cookie sheets, a couple of inches apart. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
  7. Fill your pot with about a gallon of oil. You just want it to be about 3 inches deep. Bring the oil to 355 degrees F.
  8. Fry 3 or 4 doughnuts at a time, depending on how wide your pot is, for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown. I like to do 2 minutes on the first side, flip and then 1 1/2 on the other for the perfect, golden brown doughnuts. You will probably find that some of the doughnuts will get air bubbles and puff up. Just have a spatula on hand to lightly press them down into the oil if they are trying to puff up and flip on you. You will have a light ring around the center of the doughnuts.
  9. Use a slotted spoon to remove doughnuts from the oil and place on paper towel for a few seconds. Toss in superfine (or regular) sugar while they are still warm. I like to pour the sugar into a sheet pan and toss them in the sheet pan. Then stand the doughnuts upright along the back edge of the pan to cool. Don't lay them down or they will collapse.
For the vanilla bean custard
  1. Fill a pot with about an inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in a heat safe bowl and set aside.
  3. Combine the milk and vanilla bean paste in another small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Don't let it completely start boiling. Remove it from the heat when it is just starting to simmer.
  4. Slowly pour the milk into the egg mixture, whisking quickly the entire time.
  5. Place the bowl on top of the pot of simmering water that you prepared previously and whisk quickly and continuously until the mixture starts to boil and thicken. It should be the consistency of pudding.
  6. Remove from the heat and pour through a fine sieve into another container. Cover directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and chill in the fridge until completely cool, about 2 hours.
  7. When you are ready to fill your doughnuts, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into the vanilla bean custard base until smooth.
For the chocolate custard
  1. Follow the same directions for the vanilla bean custard, but add 3 ounces of chopped, dark chocolate to the milk mixture so that it melts when you bring the milk to a simmer. Only use 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
For the pistachio filling
  1. Prepare pistachio pudding according to package directions.
  2. Beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into set pudding and chill until ready to fill doughnuts.
For the cherry mint filling
  1. Remove pits from the cherries and chop finely.
  2. Toss with the mint and sugar.
  3. Beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cherries into the whipped cream and chill until ready to fill the doughnuts.
For the coffee filling
  1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water and chill in the fridge until completely cooled.
  2. Divide the vanilla bean custard into two separate bowls. Fold the espresso into half.
To fill and assemble the doughnut box
  1. Once you've made all of your fillings (see tips below), and your doughnuts are cooled, you are ready to fill and assemble your box of brioche doughnuts. Find a rectangular box or tupperware container with lid that is large enough to hold 20 doughnuts. Line it with parchment or wax paper and line up the doughnuts in rows, standing up.
  2. Use a knife to poke a hold down the center of each doughnut where the lighter line around the middle is, making sure you don't go all the way through the other side.
  3. Fit 5 piping bags (or however many flavours you're using) with a round piping tip (I used #12). Take your piping bags and press the tip into each doughnut, gently filling until the filling comes out of the top a little.
  4. You can leave the doughnuts as is or sprinkle a little flavour identifying garnish on top. I used chocolate covered espresso beans, chocolate shavings, chopped pistachios and chopped cherries. They are best when served on the day they are made and should be stored in the fridge.