Chocolate Cannoli Doughnuts

In a small measuring cup, mix together the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup warm water. Set it aside until bubbly, about 5-8 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Pour in the yeast mixture, melted butter, egg and the milk, and stir until everything comes together and a dough-like mixture forms. This will take about 3-5 minutes. The dough will be sticky, and more similar to thick batter than bread dough. That’s OK.

Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise until it doubles its size, about 1-1 ½ hours. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper; set aside.

Make sure your work surface is well floured, then scrape the dough out of the bowl and let it spread across the surface. Carefully pat the dough out into a large rectangle about ¾” thick. Be very careful not to handle to dough too roughly, or you will deflate the dough and make chewier, less fluffy doughnuts. Flour a biscuit cutter and cut rounds out of the dough. Use a spatula to help you transfer the rounds onto the prepared baking tray. Re-spread and cut the dough as necessary so you can use it up. Cover the cut outs with a kitchen towel and let it rest for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour.

During this time, make the filling. Combine all filling ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until well incorporated. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Brush the top of the donuts with a bit of milk and bake until lightly brown, 12-15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Prepare a piping bag fitted with a long round cake decorating tip. Make a small incision into each donut with a paring knife, and feel free to cut a little deeper to create a pocket for the filling. Place the chocolate ricotta spread into the piping bag (or Ziploc bag with one corner snipped off) and pipe it into the donuts. Lightly dust with some powder sugar before serving, and enjoy!

Doughnut adapted from Jo Cooks.