Equipment Needed
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment (or a large bowl and sturdy spoon)
- Candy or deep-fry thermometer
- Large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven for frying
- Slotted spoon or spider skimmer
- Piping bag with a small round tip (like Wilton #230)
- Medium saucepans (2)
- Rolling pin
- 3-inch round cutter and 1-inch cutter for the hole
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I wake up the yeast. In the bowl of my stand mixer, I combine the warm milk, a pinch of the sugar, and the yeast. I give it a gentle stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. When it becomes frothy and creamy on top, I know my yeast is alive and ready. This is the foundation of the whole recipe; if it doesn’t foam, start over. To the foamy yeast mixture, I add 1 cup of the flour, the remaining sugar, salt, eggs, sour cream, softened butter, and vanilla. I mix with the dough hook on low until it’s a shaggy, wet batter.
Now, I build the dough. With the mixer on low, I gradually add the remaining flour, about ½ cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is soft and slightly tacky, but not sticky. It should be smooth and elastic. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes of kneading in the mixer. I transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn it to coat, cover it with a clean towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, until doubled in size. While it rises, I make the fillings.
For the cheesecake filling, I simply beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth, then beat in enough cream to make it pipeable. I scrape it into a piping bag fitted with a small tip and refrigerate. For the peach topping, I combine the peaches, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan. I simmer over medium heat until the peaches soften and release their juices, about 8-10 minutes. I stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for another minute until thickened. I let this cool completely.(See the next page below to continue…)