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Cream Filled Doughnut

Source: Southern U.S. Cuisine

Cream filled doughnut are made with yeast and butter, filled with your choice of instant pudding.

1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
2 eggs, beaten
6 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (about)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
4 cups cold milk
2 packages instant pudding (3.4 ounces each)

Scald milk in saucepan; stir in sugar, salt, and butter. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Measure warm water into a large mixing bowl; sprinkle in the yeast and stir until dissolved. Stir in lukewarm milk mixture, eggs, and half of the flour; beat until smooth.

Stir in lemon peel and remaining flour to make a soft dough; mix well.

Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in a buttered bowl, turning to grease all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for about 45 minutes, until doubled in bulk. Punch down and turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll out half into a large round, 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured doughnut cutter, with center section removed. Place doughnuts on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining half of dough.

Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Fry in deep hot fat, 365°, until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels; cool thoroughly before filling.

While doughnuts are cooling, pour milk into a deep bowl. Add pudding mix and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Refrigerate for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon pudding into a pastry tube with wide nozzle and pip into the cooled doughnuts. Sprinkled filled doughnuts with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate until served,