Brioche tiramisu doughnuts
I have been lucky enough to get to Croatia this summer. I was sitting there on the back of a boat looking out into the Adriatic Sea… and guess what we were strangely talking about - Tiramisu. Of course. What else? I decided to make it my mission to see what dishes I could get the classic creamy boozy coffee mascarpone deliciousness into. It’s been in my brain ever since getting back. So here we are - I finally have written a filthy doughnut recipe. You’re welcome.
This soft buttery brioche doughnut is packed with a smooth creamy boozy mascarpone cream filling, tossed in an espresso cocoa sugar. They do take a little time and are a labour of love, but they are SO worth it, I promise.
Brioche tiramisu doughnut
MAKES 20 – 22
500g strong white bread flour
40g caster sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
7g dried fast action yeast
125ml whole milk
3 eggs (175g), room temperature, beaten + 1 for egg wash
150g butter, softened
Vegetable / sunflower oil, for frying
For the coating
8 tbsp caster sugar
2 tsp fine coffee granules
2 tsp cocoa powder
For the filling
3 egg yolks
150g caster sugar
40ml coffee liqueur or marsala
250g mascarpone
300ml double cream
(You will need a stand mixer with a dough hook to make your life easier. It is possible doing it by hand but will take longer to kneed and I’d recommend using a dough scraper to bring it all together)
1 Put the flour, sugar, salt and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer with a hook attachment, making the yeast doesn’t touch the salt (as it will stop it from working). Tip in the milk and eggs and kneed with the dough attachment for 8 – 10 mins until you have a smooth soft dough. Your dough will be quite dry at this stage as we haven’t added in the butter yet.
2 Gradually add in the butter, 1 tbsp at a time until combined into the dough. In your stand mixer beat for 6 – 8 mins until you have a smooth dough. Leave in the mixing bowl, cover, and prove for 1 ½ - 2 hours until doubled in volume.
3 Line a large flat baking tray with greaseproof paper. Divide the dough into 20 – 22 pieces, they should weigh around 45g each. Dust the surface with a little flour if your dough is slightly sticky, it should be soft. Take one ball of dough, to create a ball shape, bring all the sides into the middle of the dough, flip it over and roll with some pressure on the surface cupping your hand to form a dough ball. Place onto the parchment paper. Continue with the rest of the dough and spread them so they’re 3 – 4cm apart. Cover and prove for 1 ½ hours until they have increased by around 1/3 in size.
4 Fill a medium heavy based saucepan, ¾ full of the oil and heat over a medium heat until it reaches 160 - 170C. Meanwhile put the coating ingredients into a bowl, grind together with a pestle if you have one to break up the coffee granules. If not, press with the back of a spoon. Cover a plate with kitchen roll to drain the doughnuts. In batches (depending on how big your pan is) fry the doughnuts, cooking them for 3-4 mins on each side. Using a spider place the doughnuts onto the kitchen roll to drain and then while still warm, toss in the sugar. Continue until all doughnuts and cooked and coated. Leave them to cool fully for at least 1 hour.
5 Meanwhile make the filling. Beat the mascarpone in a small bowl to soften. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (making sure it doesn’t touch the bowl). Whisk using an electric whisk for 5 –6 mins until pale and thick. Take off the heat, whisk in the coffee liqueur or marsala. Add in the softened mascarpone and double cream. Whisk using an electric whisk until thick enough to hold its shape, will take around 5 mins. Put a few spoons into a piping bag (not too much or it will split with the heat from your hands).
6 Using a skewer, poke it into the side of the cooled doughnut and twist to make a small hole. Cut to make a little hole at the end of the piping bag, place into the little hole made and then fill the doughnut with tiramisu mix. Repeat until all the doughnuts are filled.
