Persians

A persian is a pastry that is only found in the city of my birth, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It is a cinnamon bun doughnut topped with a strawberry (or raspberry or cherry) icing. You can buy these all over the city, but what you can't find is a recipe for it! I haven't been home in about 6 years and got the craving for this treat, so I decided to make up my own. This just may be the only copy of persians found on the internet now. I do hope you try it, and enjoy!

Persians

Yield: 24 persians

INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGHNUTS

2 cups scalded milk
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons yeast
4 eggs (beaten)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
7 cups sifted flour

INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING

2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar

INGREDIENTS FOR ICING

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups icing sugar

1/3 cup chunky strawberry jam

2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in hot milk, add 1 tsp sugar and salt. Allow to cool.

Beat in yeast, nutmeg, eggs, remaining sugar, and 3 cups flour. Add 3 more cups of flour (dough will be sticky). Add the last cup of flour if needed. Knead for 5 minutes then cover with a towel and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Mix together the filling ingredients, and set aside.

Divide dough in half. Take one half and roll it out into a rectangle approx. 16” by 11”. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture, and make sure it’s spread evenly. Roll up the dough tightly starting with the long side. Pinch the seem closed. Cut the log into 12 pieces. Flatten each piece slightly to press the seems together tighter, and to shape into ovals. Lay them out with space to expand.

Repeat with the other half of the dough. Let the doughnuts rest for 30 minutes to rise.

While doughnuts are rising, make the icing by beating together all the ingredients. Add more milk or icing sugar to get the right consistency.

Heat oil to 365°F and fry the doughnuts 1 - 2 minutes on each side or until brown.

Let them rest on a paper towel. You can frost them when they are mostly cool, but still slightly warm. You can also store the leftover doughnuts and icing in separate containers, and then when you are ready to eat them, warm the doughnuts in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds, and then frost them.