Berliner (German Filled Doughnuts)
A recipe for Berliner (German Filled Doughnuts)! These fluffy, yeast-based doughnuts are fried until golden and filled with jam.
Servings 10 Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) lukewarm milk 105-115˚F, 40-46˚C
- 4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour or Weizenmehl Type 405
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
- 10 ounces (283 grams) jam raspberry, strawberry, plum, cherry, or apricot
- Powdered sugar or granulated sugar for dusting
Instructions
- 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, combine the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt.
- Mix in the milk with frothy yeast, egg yolks, egg, and butter 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).
- If coating with granulated sugar, toss the doughnuts in a bowl of the sugar immediately after removing from the oil. If coating with powdered sugar, wait until after piping the doughnuts to coat.
- Once the doughnuts have slightly cooled, fill a pastry bag with a Bismark piping tip with desired jam.
- Pipe the jam into each doughnut, then top with powdered sugar.