Chef Cameron's Filipino Twisted Doughnuts

CSSI Staff Post - December 11, 2020

If your family is anything like mine, the holiday season is filled with laughter, good times and of course fantastic food. The dishes that get served are ones that only get made during this time of the year which makes them even more special. 

One dish that is always present during our large family gathers during the holidays is something my mom makes called pilipit which, when translated into English, means “twisted”. Pilipit is a traditional Filipino deep-fried twisted doughnut usually covered in sugar or caramel. However, when you visit Lucban, the area my mom is from, their version is very different. The pilipit from Lucban is made from a laundry list of ingredients, such as squash and rice flour, that gets deep fried and dipped into a coconut milk caramel. The pilipit recipe my mom makes was passed down to her back in the Philippines and is something only her and my siblings know how to make. That being said, I’m not sharing it because every family has their secret recipes :)

Don’t fret; I won’t leave you hangin’! The dessert I made and am sharing with you is an homage to my mom’s pilipit. Pulling inspiration from other desserts, I wanted to create something that was familiar, but had a similar flavor profile and texture. 

As a first generation Filipino-American, I find it important to keep the many dishes and traditions that my parents and other extended family grew up with alive. Whether that be whipping up a batch of my late grandmother’s pancit to bring in the New Year or partaking in something called sura with the cousins, the holiday season never fails to bring me closer to my culture and the loud, crazy and beautiful group of people I am proud to call my family.

Maligayang Pasko!


Filipino Twisted Doughnuts with Coconut Caramel
Yield: 8 Doughnuts

Ingredients 

Dough
1 pkt - Active Dry Yeast (about 7 grams)
¾ Cup - Whole Milk, warmed
2.25 - Cups Granulated Sugar, divided
2 ½ - Cups All-Purpose Flour
½ tsp - Kosher Salt
2 Tbsp - Unsalted Butter, melted
1 each - Large Egg, beaten
Oil for frying
Granulated Sugar, for dusting
2 Cups - Sweetened Shredded Coconut, toasted

Coconut Milk Caramel
Yield: 1.25 Cups
1 can - Coconut Milk (13.5 fl.oz)
¾ Cup - Dark Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp - Unsalted Butter
Kosher Salt, to taste

Directions

To make the Dough:
1. Lightly whisk together the yeast whole milk and 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar together in a bowl and allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast mixture is bubbly.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and kosher salt until combined.
3. Create a well in the center of the bowl and add the yeast mixture, melted butter and egg. Using a spatula or spoon, mix until a shaggy dough is formed.
4. Knead the dough onto a clean surface for 6-8 minutes or until the dough forms a smooth ball and springs back when poked.
5. Transfer the dough into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in a warm spot for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
6. Once doubled in size, deflate the dough ball and divide into 8 equal portions.
7. Taking one dough ball, roll into a long rope that is roughly 30 inches long.
8. Braid the elongated dough onto itself by folding in the middle and overlapping each side on top of each other.
9. Form into a ring by connecting both ends together by pinching the dough together. Repeat with the same steps with the remaining dough pieces.
10. Once complete, cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes or until puffy.

To make the Coconut Milk Caramel:
1. Over medium high heat, whisk together the coconut milk and dark brown sugar until smooth.
2. Allow mixture to come to a boil then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
3. Allow to cook for 20-30 minutes or until dark brown and thick.
4. Remove from the heat and whisk in the unsalted butter and lightly season with salt.

Putting it all together:
1. Add the remaining sugar and toasted coconut into two separate bowls.
2. Lightly heat Coconut Milk Caramel in a wide, shallow pot. 
3. Pre-heat a heavy bottom pot with 4-5 inches of oil and bring to 350°F. 
4. Cooking in batches, carefully add shaped dough into the oil and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and/or an internal temperature of 200°F is reached.
5. Remove doughnut from the oil and immediately toss in sugar, dip into the Coconut Milk Caramel and then into the toasted coconut.
6. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts.
7. Once finished, drizzle any additional Coconut Milk Caramel over the doughnuts if desired (I’m not gonna tell you how you should live your life, but I’m telling you right now that you should drizzle more caramel on top).


Cameron Cavida
Associate R&D Chef

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