fidget smile wave

I’ve shaken off this winter funk folks!

Sure there is a Blizzard headed this way but I embrace it.  What choice do I have?

We have our supplies.  I have my gin.  I bought flowers to make me smile.  All good here.

Do you know what turned my curmudgeonly ways around?  Do you know what caused Larry and I not to flee south and start a new life?

Jelly Donuts.  Say it with me folks, Jelly Donuts. Sure this salad helped but this here donut helped more.

It was so perfect, just what a gal needs to lift her spirits.  I even made it with the last of my homemade jam.  Yay homemade jam!  I had sweet thoughts of summer and the daydreaming of this years canning have begun while it snows all around us.

All thanks to the almighty jelly donut.  Natures perfect food.  So says I, so says everyone (or they should).

These are so yummy and they will go fast so make sure you get your fair share.  I want you to be happy too!

Jen fact:  In high school I lived in Germany for a little bit as part of an exchange and I must have eaten hundreds of these jelly donuts or as they say, Berliners. So good!

Jelly Donuts (Berliner- Pfannkuchen)

adapted from Spoonfuls of Germany by Nadia Hassani

ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

4+1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast ( 2 -1/4 ounce envelopes)

3/4 cups lukewarm milk

7 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar (more for coating donuts)

2 eggs

zest of 1 lemon

1 cup raspberry jam (or jam or jelly of your liking)

vegetable oil for frying

confectioner’s sugar for coating donuts

In a small pot simmer milk until lukewarm.  Mix flour and salt in bowl of mixer and make a well in the center.  Add yeast in well and mix with a little flour.  Add a few tablespoons of milk and cover bowl.  Let stand in a warm place for about 20 minutes.

Melt butter and mix it to the remaining milk.  Add it to the flour/yeast mixture.  Add the sugar, eggs and lemon zest and mix until a smooth dough forms.  When the dough easy detaches from the side of the bowl cover and let stand for 1 hour.

Divide the dough in half and roll one half onto a floured surface to about a 1/4 ” thickness. ( I found it a little difficult to get the donuts “up” so I could fry them, I had to use a spatula.  I think next time I will make them on parchment paper but the spatula does the trick.)  Using a 3″ biscuit cutter (or glass rim) cut out donut circles.  Fill the center of each circle with 1 teaspoon  of jelly.   Roll out second dough to a 1/4 ” thickness as well and place on top of first dough.  Carefully align and cut circles with a biscuit cutter over the bottom circles.  Remove excess dough and using a folk press the top and bottom edges together gently.  Cover and let rise from 30 minutes.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Heat oil to 370 degree in a large pot.  Carefully lower 2 or 3 donuts at a time into oil and fry on both sides until they puff and turn golden brown. Only takes about 2 minutes per side.  Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel.

While the donuts are still warm, either dust donuts with confectioner’s sugar on both sides with a sifter or dip both sides to coat in a bowl of granulated sugar.  Store them in your belly and be happy!  Enjoy!