Bourbon and Bacon Doughnuts


Bourbon and Bacon Doughnuts
bourbon and bacon doughnuts photo by greg rannells

Ingredients

²∕³ cup room-temperature milk
2½ tsp. active dry yeast
3½ cups flour, plus more if needed
1½ cups sugar, divided
3 eggs
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
7 Tbsp. softened butter, cut into pieces
Bourbon pastry cream (recipe follows)
Candied bacon (recipe follows)
Canola oil, for frying
3 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. bourbon



Preparation

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together the milk and yeast, then let sit until the yeast dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour, ¹∕³ cup sugar, the eggs, salt and vanilla, and mix on low until combined. Knead on medium-low 2 to 3 minutes, then add the butter a few pieces at a time, mixing until combined and the dough is soft, about 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky, so add a few teaspoons flour to remove the dough from the bowl if needed, then wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

• Meanwhile, make the pastry cream and candied bacon.

• Place the dough on a floured surface. Roll to ½-inch thick, then use a 3-inch biscuit cutter or pint glass to cut out as many rounds as possible. Place the rounds on a baking sheet, cover loosely with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.

• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat a few inches of oil to 350 degrees. Add the doughnuts 2 to 3 at a time and fry until golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Adjust heat as needed to keep the oil at 350 degrees. (If the oil is too hot, the doughnuts will brown too quickly and leave the interiors raw.)

• Transfer the fried doughnuts to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool. When cool enough to handle, roll in the remaining sugar and allow to cool completely.

• Fill a pastry or zip-close bag with the pastry cream. If using a zip-close bag, cut off one corner. Poke a hole in the side of each doughnut and fill with the pastry cream.

• To make the chocolate drizzle, place the chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the heavy cream and bourbon then pour over the chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap until the chocolate is melted, about 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Place the chocolate mixture in a small zip-close bag, cut off one corner and drizzle over the filled doughnuts. Top with the candied bacon.