Treats

For the doughnuts:

1. Mix together yeast and warm water in a small bowl. Let sit for five minutes until bubbles form on top.
2. While yeast sits, in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, milk, butter, egg yolk, sugar and salt. Add in yeast mixture.
3. Stir until just combined and then attach a dough hook and mix in the stand mixer on low until dough comes together. Then increase speed to high and mix for 3 more minutes.
4. Remove dough from the dough hook and let sit in the bowl, covered, at room temperature, for one hour until dough has doubled in size.
5. Next, sprinkle flour onto your counter and divide your dough into four equal pieces.
6. Roll each segment into balls and let rise again for 30 minutes.
7. About 20 minutes before the second rise is complete, heat oil in a dutch oven with a candy thermometer attached.
8. When the oil reaches 350°f, take a dough ball, make an indentation in the middle with your thumb but do not go all the way through (you’ll need a ‘pocket’ to fill with jam), and lower carefully into the hot oil. You can fry two doughnuts at a time if in a wide dutch oven.
9. Fry on each side about one minute. Then remove with a spider or slotted spoon onto a cooling rack with paper towels underneath. Let temperature in the pot come back to 350°f before frying next batch.
10. Let doughnuts come to room temperature before glazing and filling.

For the pineapple jam:

1. Combine pineapple and water/juice in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pineapple becomes soft, about half an hour.
2. Stir in sugar and lime juice to the pineapple and raise temperature to medium-high.
3. Let the mixture reach a simmer, stirring to dissolve all the sugar.
4. Then, lower heat to low and let cook about one hour, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
5. Let cool to room temperature. If not using right away, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to one month.
   

For the meringue:

1. Place the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the mixture reaches 240°F on a candy thermometer.
2. At the same time (you’ll want sugar syrup and egg whites to be done at the same time), whisk egg whites in a stand mixer until foamy, and then add in cream of tartar and salt. Increase speed to high until soft peaks form.
3. Once the syrup reaches 240°f, slowly pour it into the egg whites while the stand mixer is on medium speed. Mix until the bowl is no longer hot but room temp, about 8-10 minutes. Then, mix in vanilla until incorporated.
4. Place all the meringue into a large pastry bag or ziplock. Set aside.

For the glaze:

1. In a small bowl, combine water and sugar. Stir until smooth and then add in desired amount of food coloring.
2. Optionally, you can add in 1-2 drops of pineapple extract if you’d like more pineapple flavor.

Assembly:

1. Start by dipping room temperature doughnuts in the glaze. Dip a second time for a more opaque glaze.
2. Spoon pineapple jam into the center of the doughnuts, using the spoon to push the jam down into the center.
   
3. Next, cut the tip off the pastry bag (if it’s disposable) or ziplock and pipe a swirl of meringue on top.
4. Using a kitchen torch, lightly toast the outside of the meringue until golden. Enjoy!