Jam Filled Dainties Recipes

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, scald the milk by heating just until bubbles form around the edge of the pot; the milk should not actually boil. Remove from heat and whisk in butter to melt, allow to cool 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Bloom the yeast by sprinkling it over the warm milk and butter. Add the sugar and stir gently to dissolve. Let stand 10 minutes until foam appears, this indicates the yeast is active. Turn mixer on low and add the egg yolks then gradually add the flour. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and add the salt. Stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Mix just until the dough is supple and elastic, about 5 minutes. Once smooth, turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead gently for 2 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. If you have time, let rise in the refrigerator for several hours because chilling will make the dough easier to roll out.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2-inch thick and cut with a floured biscuit cutter or water glass, about 3-inches in diameter. Transfer to a greased baking sheet, and allow to rise again for 30 minutes. Heat 3-inches of vegetable oil or shortening to 375 degrees F in an electric fryer or deep saucepan. Slip doughnuts in the hot oil, top-risen side down, and fry doughnuts until golden, about 4 minutes each side. To keep the oil temperature constant, fry 3 at a time. Drain on paper towels. Fit a pastry bag with a small tip and fill with jam. Poke a small hole in the side of the doughnut and pipe the jam inside. Dust heavily with confectioners' sugar while still slightly warm.

Steps:

• Grease an oven tray and preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 Fahrenheit).
• Cut 8 squares of equal size from the puff pastry sheets (or circles if you prefer).
• Place two teaspoons of jam (jelly) on 4 of the pastry squares. On the other 4 pieces, cut criss-crosses for ventilation and for prettiness.
• Press the criss-crossed pastry pieces on top of the jam covered pieces, and press together all around the edge using a little oil.
• Bake in oven for 20 minutes until puffed and golden.
• Allow to cool and enjoy.

Steps:

• Put 150g water and all the dough ingredients, apart from the butter, into the bowl of a mixer with a beater paddle. Mix on a medium speed for 8 mins or until the dough starts coming away from the sides and forms a ball. Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 1 min.
• Start the mixer up again on a medium speed and slowly add the butter to the dough - about 25g at a time. Once it's all incorporated, mix on high speed for 5 mins until the dough is glossy, smooth and very elastic when pulled.
• Cover the bowl with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave to prove until it's doubled in size. Knock back the dough in the bowl briefly, then re-cover and put in the fridge to chill overnight.
• The next day, take the dough out of the fridge and cut it into 50g pieces (you should get about 20).
• Roll the dough pieces into smooth, tight buns and place them on a floured baking tray, leaving plenty of room between them, as you don't want them to stick together while they prove.
• Cover loosely with cling film and leave for 4 hrs or until doubled in size. Fill your deep-fat fryer or heavy-based saucepan halfway with oil. Heat the oil to 180C. Read our guide on how to deep-fry safely for more essential information.
• When the oil is heated, carefully slide the doughnuts from the tray using a floured pastry scraper. Taking care not to deflate them, put them into the oil. Do 2-3 per batch, depending on the size of your fryer or pan.
• Fry for 2 mins each side until golden brown - they puff up and float, so you may need to gently push them down after about 1 min to help them colour evenly.
• Remove the doughnuts from the fryer and place them on kitchen paper.
• Toss the doughnuts in a bowl of caster sugar while still warm. Repeat the steps until all the doughnuts are fried, but keep checking the oil temperature is correct - if it's too high, they will burn and be raw in the middle; if it's too low, the oil will be absorbed into the doughnuts and they will become greasy. Set aside to cool before filling.
• To fill the doughnuts, make a hole with a small knife in the crease of each one, anywhere around the white line between the fried top and bottom.
• Fill a piping bag with jam and pipe into the doughnut until nicely swollen - about 1 tbsp per doughnut. After filling, the doughnuts are best eaten straight away, but will keep in an airtight tin.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour to the creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough into four portions; cover and refrigerate until easy to handle. , On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough at a time into a 10x7-1/2-in. rectangle. Trim edges if necessary. Cut into 2-1/2-in. squares., Place 1/4 teaspoon spreadable fruit or preserves near each end of two diagonal corners. Moisten the remaining two corners with water; fold over and press lightly. , Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until corners are lightly browned. Cool 2-3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• 1. With an electric mixer, cream butter and splenda. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add pecans and flour, blending thoroughly. Cover tightly and chill so dough will be easier to handle (about 1-2 hours or for up to 3 days).2. On a floured board, roll dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Using a favorite cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes and transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. (The cookies will be sandwiched together. If using different cookie cutters, be sure to cut out even numbers of cookies using the same cookie cutter.) Cut out about a 1/2-inch hole in the center of half of the cookie shapes. You can use the cap from the vanilla extract or other bottle if you don't have a tiny round cutter. Bake cookies at 375 F. for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.3. Gather the cookies with holes in one area. Sift powdered sugar over the tops of these cookies. Spread the bottom cookies with jam. Place a sugar-topped cookie on each jam-topped cookie to form a sandwich. Store in an airtight container.