Cheese Doughnuts

Instructions

1. Line a small rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap.
2. Put the milk and vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
3. Whisk the cornstarch and sugar together.
4. Add to the yolks and whisk until smooth.
5. When the milk is simmering, slowly whisk about 1/2 cup into the yolks to temper them, then scrape the yolks into the saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
6. Strain onto the baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming.
7. Refrigerate until cold.
8. Measure 150 g of the pastry cream (reserve the rest for another use) and put it in a food processor.
9. Add the ricotta and mascarpone and process until smooth.
10. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the kumquats.
11. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until youre ready to make the doughnuts.
12. In a small bowl, crumble the yeast into the water (or sprinkle the dry yeast over the water).
13. Whisk until dissolved.
14. Add the sugar, milk powder, and flour and stir until smooth.
15. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until bubbling, about 45 minutes.
16. Mix the butter, flour, sugar, egg, salt, lemon zest, and lemon oil together in a large bowl until smooth.
17. Add the yeast mixture and mix again until smooth.
18. The dough should be barely firm enough to knead.
19. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 3 to 4 minutes, adding a little flour if necessary.
20. Let the dough rest for a few minutes while you lightly oil a clean bowl (or spray it with cooking spray).
21. Knead the dough again until smooth and elastic, another 3 minutes.
22. Shape it into a ball, put it in the bowl, top side down, and turn the dough over.
23. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
24. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spray lightly with cooking spray.
25. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to 1/3 inch thick.
26. Cut rounds with a 1 1/2-inch cutter.
27. Put the doughnuts on the baking sheet.
28. Spray another piece of parchment and cover the doughnuts with the parchment, sprayed side down.
29. Leave at room temperature until risen by half, then refrigerate until youre ready to serve (or let rise until doubled and fry right away).
30. Put the zests and sugars in a food processor and process for 15 seconds.
31. Pour into a shallow bowl.
32. Pour about 3 inches of oil into a wide saucepan and heat it to 365F.
33. Fry the doughnuts a few at a timedont crowd themuntil golden, about 1 minute per side.
34. Blot on paper towels and immediately dredge them in the citrus sugar.
35. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip (#803 is perfect) with the cheese filling.
36. Push the tip into the warm doughnuts and pipe in the filling.
37. Serve the warm doughnuts on top of some lemon confit.
38. You could substitute a good Seville orange marmalade for the candied kumquats in the filling, and lemon marmalade for the confit.
39. Just make sure that they arent too sweet.