Blood Orange Cream Cheese Doughnuts
A recipe for Blood Orange Cream Cheese Doughnuts! These fried doughnuts are filled with blood orange cream cheese and topped with a blood orange glaze.
Servings 8 -10 Doughnuts
Ingredients
Yeast-Based Doughnuts:
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) lukewarm milk 105-115˚F (40-46˚C)
- Zest from 1 blood orange
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Blood Orange Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered sugar sifted
- Zest from 1 blood orange
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) freshly squeezed blood orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blood Orange Glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) powdered sugar sifted
- pinch fine salt
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 milliliters) freshly squeezed blood orange juice
Instructions
To make the yeast-based doughnuts:
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm milk. Stir briefly and allow to sit at room temperature until frothy, about 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl, rub the blood orange zest into the sugar until evenly infused.
- Stir in the flour and salt.
- Mix in the milk with the frothy yeast, egg yolks, egg, butter, and vanilla extract until a soft dough forms.
- Knead on a lightly floured surface just until elastic and smooth. Place in a large bowl, cover, and allow to rest at room temperature until doubled, 1-2 hours.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a sheet about 3/4 inch (2 centimeters) thick.
- Cut out circles (do not twist) with a 3 inch (7.5 centimeter) circular cutter. Bring together the scraps of dough and repeat to get as many doughnuts as possible.
- Place the doughnuts 2 inches (5 centimeters) apart, cover with a towel, and allow to rise at room temperature until puffy, 30-60 minutes.
- Pour 2 inches (5 centimeters) of vegetable oil in a large saucepan and heat to 340˚F (170˚C), no higher.
- Once heated, gently add a few of the puffed doughnuts, taking care not to overcrowd. Immediately cover with a lid.
- Fry until lightly golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes, then remove the lid and flip to fry uncovered until golden on the other side.
- Transfer to a towel-lined platter and repeat with remaining doughnuts, keeping the temperature no higher than 340˚F (170˚C).
- Allow the doughnuts to cool to room temperature before adding the blood orange cream cheese filling and covering with the glaze.
To make the Blood Orange Cream Cheese Filling:
- Place the room temperature cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a large bowl.
- Beat until light and fluffy, then beat in the powdered sugar and blood orange zest, followed by the blood orange juice and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Fill a pastry bag with a Bismark piping tip with the blood orange cream cheese.
- Pipe into each doughnut.
To make the Blood Orange Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and salt.
- Slowly whisk in the blood orange juice until smooth. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more blood orange juice.
- Dip the top of each filled doughnut into the glaze. Allow to set slightly before serving.