Jelly Donuts

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together about half of the flour (about 2 ½ cups, or 325 grams), granulated sugar, instant yeast, ground nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the water. Set aside.
In a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat, combine the whole milk and butter. Stir the two together until the butter has completely melted. Set the pan aside so the mixture cools a little.
Add the milk/butter mixture to the water and whisk until combined.
Add the lightly beaten eggs to the water/milk/butter mixture and whisk until combined.
Add the flour mixture you set aside to the wet ingredients. Using the paddle attachment, mix all of the ingredients together on low speed for 15 seconds. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until well combined.
Add the remaining flour and mix together on low speed for 15 seconds, then turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until combined. Switch out the paddle attachment for the hook attachment, and beat the dough for 4 minutes. The dough will slightly pull away from the sides of the bowl, however it WILL be a wet and sticky dough. Do not add more flour - I promise!!! You will want to, but don't.
Transfer the dough to a well oiled bowl, cover it with a towel, and let the dough rise in a warm environment (oven or microwave turned OFF are always good choices) for one hour. It will double in size.

Feel free to use your favorite store-bought jelly to fill these donuts, but if you want to make the homemade raspberry jelly, follow the steps below.
While the dough is rising, make the filling. Combine the raspberries, granulated sugar and balsamic vinegar or lemon juice on a pan over the stove on medium heat.
Continuously stir until combined. Once the berries are soft, gently press on them with the back of a wooden spoon so they release their juices.
Let the mixture simmer while occasionally stirring until thickened. This can take about 10 minutes.
Run the filling through a fine mesh strainer to discard of the pulp and the seeds. Gently press the filling against the fine mesh strainer with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon so you get the most out of the jam. Set aside to cool and thicken.

Once the dough has doubled in size, gently move it to a lightly floured surface. Make sure your hands are lightly floured as well. Roll the dough out slightly until it is about ½ inch thick. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces and shape them into balls.
Place the donuts on a pan lined with parchment paper and lightly floured. Cover it with a towel and let the dough rise for an additional 35-40 minutes. They should puff up.

In the last 15 minutes of the dough's second rise, begin to heat up your oil. Pour the oil into a large pot so there is at least 2-3 inches of oil. Using a thermometer, heat the oil to about 365 degrees Fahrenheit and monitor the temperature the entire time (the oil temperature should ideally stay between 360 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the thermometer is submerged in the middle of the oil and not touching the bottom of the pan (it will read hotter if the thermometer is touching the pan).
Once the dough is done with the second rise, fry them. Place 2-3 donuts in the pot at once (do not overcrowd) and fry them for one minute to one minute and 15 seconds on each side until golden brown. Remove the donuts from the oil and place them on a pan lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Repeat this process with all of the donuts.

Place the granulated sugar in a wide bowl. Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, toss them in the sugar until they are evenly coated and set aside.

Whether you are using the homemade raspberry filling from this recipe or your favorite store-bought jelly, use a chopstick or a sharp knife to poke a hole in the side of the donut. Put the filling in a piping bag (or ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and carefully pipe the filling into the donuts until they puff up and start to feel heavy. You may need to do a test with one donut to check the preferred amount of filling in each donut.
These donuts are best enjoyed when made fresh - but can be kept covered and in the fridge for a few days. Enjoy!