GATHER JOURNAL

Photograph by Martyn Thompson Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero Prop Styling by Theo Vamvounakis
    

Jam-Filled Bomboloni

Desserts from Issue 4 – Fall / Winter 2014 – Cocoon

The language of doughnuts is an international one. That sweetened cushion of fried dough has incarnations, and fans the world over—there are churros, sugar-dipped batons, in Mexico, balushahi yogurt fritters in India, and jelly-stuffed sufganiyot in Israel, to name a few. But for our doughnut inspiration we went to Italy, home of the bombolone. Translation? Big bomb. And our sugar-dusted, jam-packed bombas are just that. They would even pass muster with the most devout acolyte of all: Homer Simpson. Mmm…doughnuts.

makes 12 doughnuts



  • 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warmed whole milk, (105° to 115°F)
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ½ vanilla bean, scraped
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6-8 cups vegetable oil for frying
  • confectioners sugar and raspberry jam for serving

  • 1

    Sprinkle yeast over milk in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let stand 5 minutes until creamy. If yeast doesn’t foam, start over with new yeast.
  • 2

    Whisk eggs with vanilla seeds and add to mixer bowl along with butter, flour, sugar, and salt. Beat with paddle attachment at medium speed to combine, then switch to a dough hook (if you have one), increase speed, and beat until smooth and elastic, 5 minutes. Scrape dough from sides of bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let stand until almost doubled, about 1 hour.
  • 3

    On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a ½-inch thick round. Using a 3-inch ring cutter, cut 12 rounds and transfer them to a lightly floured baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel.
  • 4

    Heat 2-inches of oil in a large saucepan to 350°F. Have a paper towel-lined plate and a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack by the stove. Fry bomboloni in batches, 3 at a time, until golden and puffed, about 1 minute per side. Dab on paper towels then transfer to rack to cool.
  • 5

    Dust bomboloni with confectioners sugar. Poke a small hole in top of bomboloni and using a piping bag fitted with a small tip or a resealable plastic bag with small corner cut off, pipe 1 or 2 tsp of jam into each. Serve immediately.