A couple weeks ago I woke up with two things on my mind, Burma Superstar and Homemade Jelly doughnuts. Neither of these items have I thought about in years, we are talking 20+ years. Those of you who live in the Bay Area are familiar with Burma Superstar. Those of you who do not live in the area, it is an amazing Burmese restaurant. When I moved to the Bay Area, I use to work down the street from the original location and the ladies and I had lunch there weekly. The evening after my dream, I took Lenny for date night. Lucky for us there is a location in the East Bay not far from home. It was just as I remember it …. delicious.
A week later I fulfilled the other half of my dream. Instead of scouring the aisles of the grocery store, I made them. The doughnuts in my dream were a frozen brand, my mother use to buy. They were little pillows of sugar, that you could toss into the oven, heat up in 10 minutes and then enjoy warm jelly running down your lips. I don’t remember the brand; but, I remember loving them, probably a little too often.
I used an old favorite yeast doughnut recipe from the Better Homes and Garden cookbook (which I have also owned for some 20+ years). I have made the recipe many times in the past and really love how the texture is light and fluffy. Not dense nor chewy. I did change it up from the last time I made it. Instead of using shortening, I used creamy Irish butter. I loaded the warm milky mixture with lots of Meyer lemon zest. I didn’t fry them, instead I baked each pillowy fluff. Once they cooled, I stuffed each one with wild blueberry preserves, brushed the tops, bottoms and sides with melted butter, then rolled in sugar. I am pretty sure they were better than the frozen ones I enjoyed 20 years ago.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups of ap flour, sifted
- 2 packages of active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 medium meyer lemon zested
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- a jar of your favorite jelly, jam or preserves
- 2 tablespoons of melted butter
- extra sugar
Directions
- In a mixing bowl add 1 1/2 cups of flour and yeast. Fit the mixer with the dough hook. In a saucepan heat the milk, sugar, butter, salt and zest, over medium heat, until 115 degrees; stir constantly. Add the milky mixture to the flour, mixing the entire time. Add the eggs. Continue beating at low speed for 1 minute. Scrap the bowl. Mix for 3 minutes at high speed. Add the remaining flour and continue mixing at low speed, until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic; about 5 minutes. Remove from the bowl and knead by hand for 5 minutes. Place into a lightly greased bowl. Cover and place in a draft free area. Let sit until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 1/4 hours.
- Punch down the dough, turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half of dough to 1/2" thick. Cut with a floured biscuit or doughnut cutter. Place each doughnut onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover; let rise till very light, about 45 - 60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375. Slide baking sheet into oven. Bake until golden brown, about 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let cool.
- Make a small slit one side of each doughnut. Fill a pastry bag that has been fitted with a round tip, with your favorite jam, place the tip into the slit on the doughnut, gently squeeze in the jam. After all doughnuts are filled, lightly brush each one with melted butter, then roll in sugar.
- Serve. Eat.
She cooks. He devours. Culinary capers in an urban kitchen in West Oakland. Other half of Chez Us can be found @laudalino on Twitter. 
Denise these look and sound fantastic, I’ve been dreaming of them since I saw you post them on instagram. Going to have to try them out this weekend. Oh and I seriously love your jam spoon…gorgeous!
Just registered for the Mixed Conference and I’m super duper pumped! Wanted to stop by and say hello!
This looks soooo good and not fried! I will definitelyl making these very soon! Thank you!
Just was I was looking for – but would you please let me know the weight of the packets of yeast as the ones I buy are pretty big (10g). I made your almond croissants, and they were spot on! Will be looking through the rest of your recipes now!
I’ve never made donuts – mostly because I am terrified of deep frying. I knew you could bake them but had no idea you could make something this incredible. My boys would go NUTS if I made these. Gorgeous photos.
This is my favorite food blog on the internet and I have trouble resisting a jelly donut every time I visit. I just have the problem that I am always craving a donut at that Very Second that I just end up going to Krispy Kreme. Its becoming a problem. Especially because these have to be WAY better. But Krispy Kreme is just so much faster.
Are these American style doughnuts or European? They look so gorgeously perfect and yummy. Can’t believe they’re baked.
Denise, they are just plain ole American style jelly doughnuts. I didn’t fry them … baking makes them a little less sinful!
Thanks for the kind words Sarah!! Now … go make some jelly doughnuts!
These look wonderful. I like the fact that these are baked and not fried.