Chocolate–Rosemary Bombolini

• Chocolate–Rosemary Ganache:

• 1 cup chopped dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

• Bombolini Dough:

• 3/4 ounces (3 envelopes) active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, warm
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Canola oil for frying
• Powdered sugar for garnish

To make the ganache, place the cream and rosemary in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat. Bring the cream to a boil; remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain and discard the rosemary.

Place the chocolate in a double boiler over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, heat the chocolate until it’s completely melted. (If you don’t have a double boiler, you can create a makeshift one by placing a stainless steel bowl in a large saucepan filled with water. Since the bowl will be much closer to the heat source, melt the chocolate over very low heat.) Set aside.

Combine the infused cream and the corn syrup in a large sauce pot over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then pour it over the melted chocolate; stir until fully combined and smooth. Add the butter and stir until fully combined and smooth. Place the ganache in the refrigerator and chill until almost solid, about an hour. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe 3/4-inch circular discs onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Freeze until solid.

To make the bombolini dough, place the yeast, milk, and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour in a medium mixing bowl; mix until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook; add the remaining flour, eggs, sugar, butter, and salt. Mix until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size once more.

Pinch off golf ball–sized pieces of dough. Press a frozen ganache piece in the center of each piece of dough; wrap the dough completely around the chocolate, making sure it’s tightly sealed. Refrigerate until you’re ready to fry.

Heat 2 inches of oil to 365ºF in a large, heavy sauce pot. Working in batches, fry the bombolini until deep golden in color and cooked though, about 2 minutes each side. (Be careful not to fry too many bombolini at once; the temperature of the oil will drop and the bombolini will be greasy. Make sure the temperature of the oil returns to 365ºF before starting a new batch.) Transfer the fried bombolini to a large plate lined with paper towels.

To serve, dust the hot bombolini with powdered sugar.