#FoodieExtravaganza ~ Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts

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July has arrived and that means it's time for another #FoodieExtravaganza! Each month we take turns hosting and selecting a foodie holiday associated with that month. Somehow in all the planning July was overlooked so in a mad dash in the second half of June, Lauren of From Gate to Plate told us to celebrate the doughnut. If anyone is keeping score, National Doughnut Day is actually the first Friday in June, but none of us are complaining to be celebrating one of America's favorite breakfast treats today. July is National Culinary Arts month so let's just go with that. Also in July: Fried Chicken Day (today, the 6th), Blueberry Muffin Day (the 11th), and Junk Food Day (the 21st).

I have a pinterest board dedicated to donuts. I love donuts. I rarely eat them. But I love them! I thought this would be a good chance to step out of my comfort zone a little and try something extra special.

I very rarely fry food in my house, but this recipe looked so incredibly tempting I couldn't pass it up. Plus it finally gave me the chance to cross an item off my culinary "to-make" wish list - lemon curd! Oh my, oh my... it's ahhhh-mazing. I don't know what I was waiting for. With a bit of elbow grease I created one of the best things to come out of my kitchen in awhile last night. Yumm.

Look at these incredible options that are being shared today:

Gluten-Free Matcha Doughnuts - Three Ways! by Culinary Adventures with Camilla  
Raspberry Cookies n Cream Baked Doughnuts by Baking in Pyjamas 
Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts by Making Miracles 
Chocolate Snickerdoodle Doughnuts by Sew You Think You Can Cook 
Baked S'mores Doughnuts by Tara's Multicultural Table 
Strawberry Shortcake Donut Tarts by Fearlessly Creative Mammas  
15 Minute Funnel Cake Bites by From Gate to Plate 
Cake Mix Donuts by I'm Hungry 
Doughnut Trifle by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
Watermelon Doughnuts by The Freshman Cook 
Baked Cherry Lemon Donuts by Caroline's Cooking 
Orange Glace Donuts by Basic N Delicious 
Medhu Vada - Savory Lentil Doughnut by Sneha's Recipe

Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts adapted from A Happy Food Dance

Ingredients

Donuts

1 package (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
⅔ cups milk, at room temperature
3½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓ cup sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 eggs
7 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cut into 6 to 8 pieces
canola oil, for frying

Lemon Curd

zest of one lemon
1¼ cup sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
pinch of kosher salt

Poppy Seed Frosting

1¼ cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Instructions

Donuts

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the yeast and milk. Stir together briefly, then let sit for about 1 minute to dissolve the yeast.
2. Add the flour, ⅓ cup of the sugar, the salt, and the eggs and mix on low speed for about 1 minute, or until the dough comes together. Then, still on low speed, mix for another 2 to 3 minutes to develop the dough further.
3. Next, begin to add the butter, a few pieces at a time, and continue to mix for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is soft and cohesive (add additional flour as necessary to make sure dough maintains a soft ball consistency so it will mix correctly in the bowl).
4. Lightly flour two baking sheets. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch by 9-inch rectangle about ½" inch thick. Using a 2" round biscuit cutter, cut 24 donuts (re-roll dough out as needed until it is all used up).
5. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets and cover with kitchen towels.
6. Place in a warm spot to proof for 2 to 3 hours, or until they are about doubled in height.
7. When ready to fry, line a tray or baking sheet with paper towels.
8. Pour the oil to a depth of about 3 inches into a large, heavy bottom saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees on a fry thermometer.
9. Working in batches, place the donuts in the hot oil, being careful not to crowd them. Fry them for 90 seconds to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
10. Gently flip and fry them for another 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the donuts to the prepared tray and let cool completely.  
11. Check your donuts - if they are not cooked all the way through in the middle, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place donuts on clean baking sheet and cook in 5 minute increments until cooked all the way through.

Lemon Curd

1. Peel a lemon, leaving peel in large chunks.
2. In a large bowl whisk the eggs, then add in remaining curd ingredients. Set over a pot of boiling water. Whisk together over the heat until the lemon curd thickens and coats the back of a spoon. This will take 15-20 minutes.
3. Once thickened, discard lemon zest and strain through a fine mesh sieve.
4. Refrigerate until cool.

Poppy Seed Frosting

1. In a small bowl, combine the frosting ingredients and whisk till smooth.

To Assemble

1. Once the donuts and lemon curd are completely cool, poke a small hole in the side of each donut and create a little space in the middle of the donut for the curd (a child's medicine syringe works really well for this - about 2 tsp of filling seemed about right per donut for me).
2. Fill donuts with desired amount of curd.
3. Set donuts on top of a wire rack and spoon poppy seed frosting over top.
4. Let set just enough for frosting to harden and then serve. These are best served immediately after frosting. (If you are not going to eat immediately, do not fill and frost until ready to serve).