Some restaurants are putting do-nuts and do-nut- holes  on their dessert menu’s.  We tried this one last night at our November cooking class.  It not only tasted good it was a great vehicle to keep dinner conversation going as diners dipped the pastry filled morsels in the rich chocolate cream, in no hurry to conclude an enjoyable evening meal.

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Orange-Scented Bomboloni with Pastry Cream and Chocolate Orange Dipping Sauce

Prep Time

1 hour

Cook Time

20 minutes

Passive Time

10 hours

Servings

people

Ingredients

Orange Pastry Cream

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• pinch salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier
• 2 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon orange zest finely grated
• 1/2 cup heavy cream whipped in soft peaks

Bomboloni

• 3 cups flour more for dusting
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water plus more if needed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons clover honey
• 1 1/2 envelopes active dry yeast 3 1/4 teaspoons
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• pinch salt
• 6 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons butter sloftened
• canola oil for greasing

Chocolate-Orange Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

• 3 cups canolla oil for frying
• granulated sugar for rolling

Prep Time 1 hour Cook Time 20 minutes Passive Time 10 hours Servings people Ingredients Orange Pastry Cream 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/4 cup sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch pinch salt 2 large egg yolks 1 teaspoon orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier 2 tablespoons butter softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon orange zest finely grated 1/2 cup heavy cream whipped in soft peaks Bomboloni 3 cups flour more for dusting 1/2 cup lukewarm water plus more if needed 1 1/2 tablespoons clover honey 1 1/2 envelopes active dry yeast 3 1/4 teaspoons 3 tablespoons milk 1/3 cup sugar pinch salt 6 large egg yolks 3 tablespoons butter sloftened canola oil for greasing Chocolate-Orange Dipping Sauce 1/2 cup heavy cream 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon orange liqueur 1/4 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups canolla oil for frying granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. For the Pastry Cream: Bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat.
2. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch salt and eggs in a small bowl until pale.
3. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and then return the mixture to the pan and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the liqueur and cook for 30 seconds longer.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, vanilla and orange zest. Cover with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
5. Just before using, fold in the whipped cream until combined. Keep cold.

Bomboloni

1. Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the flour, the water, honey and the yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer, and mix. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until foamy, about 1 hour.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the butter, and using a dough hook, mix at a low speed until blended, and then add the butter. Knead at medium speed until silky but sticky, about 5 minutes. Keep in mind that the dough will not pull away from the sides of the bowl. Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl using and oiled spatula and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. The dough will not rise.

Chocolate-Orange Dipping Sauce

1. Bring the heavy to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stir in the chocolate until smooth. Add the liqueur and the vanilla. Keep warm

For frying

1. Heat the canola oil in a large saucepan to 360 degrees. Fill a shallow bowl with an inch of granulated sugar.
2. Roll out the dough on a lightly-floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Fry the rounds, 8 at a time, until browned, turning once. Transfer to paper towels and then roll in granulated sugar.
3. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/4 inch plain tip and fill with the pastry cream. Gently push the tip 3/4 of the way into the bomboloni and squeeze in the cream, pulling the tip out slightly as you squeeze to fill them as much a possible. Serve warm. Dip into the chocolate-orange sauce.

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