Ingredients
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water, (100 degrees to 110 degrees)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon orange extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups vegetable oil, plus more for bowl
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
for the sweetened marscaone
1 cup mascapone
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons milk (if necessary)
1 cup apple jam
Directions
In a small bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Into your mixer bowl, add the flour, eggs, yeast mixture, orange extract, sugar, butter, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Attach your dough hook and turn to low to mix the ingredients for about a minute. Then turn your mixer one speed higher and continue to mix for about 8 minutes. Add a little more flour if necessary. By the end of the 8 minutes your dough should be smooth, soft and bounces back when poked with a finger (it should not be sticking to the sides of your bowl).
Roll the dough into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2 inch cutter and cut out about 25-30 rounds. If you don’t have a round cookie cutter, use any other utensils that will give you a similar shape. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for another 15 minsutes. (Do not be alarmed if the rounds do not seem to rise much. Once you fry them in the hot oil, they will puff up nicely.)
In the meantime, make your sweetened marscapone by combining marscapone, confectioners sugar and cinnamon, and whisking/whipping with a whisk. If it is too thick, add in a tablespoon of milk. Fill into a piping bag fitted with a #4 tip. Fill another piping back with a #4 tip with the apple jam. In another small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Set all three things aside.
In medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, heat oil until a deep-frying thermometer registers 370F. Carefully slip 4 rounds into oil (do not over crowd). Fry until golden brown, about 40 seconds. Turn doughnuts over; fry until golden on other side, another 40 seconds. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Continue frying the remaining dough.
Using a wooden skewer or the end of a chopstick, make a hole in the side of each beignet. Fit the pastry tip into a hole, pipe about 2 teaspoons jam into beignet. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
Dust the donuts with confectioners sugar and serve while still warm.
