Raspberry Jam-Filled Doughnuts

 

 

    Fancy doughnuts for breakfast will always remind me of being at my Grandma and Grandpa’s house down in Champaign, Illinois! We’d get up before the sun from under the handmade quilts she made, leap out of the big canopy bed swinging from the posts like little monkeys, and run down the hall to the kitchen!

Grandma and Grandpa would already be up and at ’em. Grandpa would be sitting at the old, round kitchen table with his morning paper and Grandma would be putting the shiny, steel and copper Revel tea kettle on the stove, heating up water for her Sanka instant coffee. I know, I know, but she loved her Sanka!

As soon as us kids would gather around the table and fight over who got to sit by Grandma and Grandpa, he would be off and out the door to head down to Dunkin’ Donuts for a box of warm, freshly made doughnuts! As soon as he’d get up from the table, we knew we were all getting doughnuts for breakfast that morning and there would be lots of giggles and squeals and a lot of clapping going on!

 

 

 

 

The plain glazed, believe it or not, were always the first to go! Next were the “jelly-filled”. Oooohhhh, those jelly-filled! The soft, pillowy doughnuts filled with raspberry jam! The doughnuts so fresh that even the filling was still warm!

I only got a second one though if I sat up straight and put my knees down, lol! I don’t know why, but when I was a kid I always sat with my feet on the seat and my knees at the table! My Grandma would always say, “Are you feeding your knees?” And we’d all laugh! I don’t know when I finally grew out of that! Must’ve been because of earning those Saturday morning doughnuts! 😉

It’s been a long, long time since any chain has made a good doughnut like they used to! They got a lot smaller, don’t taste good, more like “bread”, and hardly have enough filling inside to feed a sparrow! But you can still enjoy those same doughnuts at home when you make them homemade from scratch. And you won’t believe how easy they are to make, too! Chains would never have made them if they were complicated and difficult!

So head out to the kitchen and surprise your family this morning with this wonderful treat! I hope they bring back fond memories and create new ones for you all, too. Enjoy, have a wonderful Saturday, and don’t forget to share! These make plenty to go around! 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

RASPBERRY JAM-FILLED DOUGHNUTS

Makes 20 doughnuts

 

1 (1/4 oz.) packet rapid rise dry yeast

1/8 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

3/4 cup lukewarm milk

1/2 (scant) cup sugar, just use a little bit less

1/2 tsp salt

1 extra-large egg

3 Tbl. butter-flavored Crisco

2 1/2 cups flour

oil for deep frying

raspberry, strawberry or your favorite jam or jelly, homemade or store-bought

powdered sugar (or you can use regular sugar of preferred)

 

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water and let stand five minutes or until foamy. (*If you are not having instant results, make sure your yeast has not expired and your water isn’t too hot. You can also give it a boost by adding a tsp. of sugar out of the measured scant 1/2 cup.)

In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and one cup of the flour. Mix for a few minutes at low speed. Beat in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for about five minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about an hour or a bit longer. (I like to pop my yeast doughs into the oven to rise, covered, with the light on. It’s a nice, warm, draft-free place.)

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into circles. Place onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with a little plastic wrap loosely. Let rise again until doubled in bulk.

Heat 4 cups of oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 350 degrees. Carefully slide doughnuts into hot oil using a wide spatula. Turn the doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Doughnuts are ready when both sides are golden brown.

Fill with 1-2 Tbl. or more of jam or jelly using a pastry bag, or by cutting a small slit in the side of the doughnut and inserting the jelly with a baby spoon. (I like to add more in mine.) Close up hole, sprinkle with powdered sugar or roll in regular sugar. 

Enjoy while still warm! Store in airtight container. Refresh the next day with more powdered sugar or re-roll in more regular sugar if needed. Best the first 2 days. By the third day, not so much. So eat them up and take some to friends and neighbors!