Some things I make for the love of others. I’ve been known to gaze lovingly at ingredients. Wrap cookies in little bows, and present a friend with box of still warm chocolate chip cookies at just the right moment.
Other things I make because I’m a selfish hungry girl. These doughnuts. Oh my God! These doughnuts I made because I’m a selfish girl who loves loves loves doughnuts.
Three facts about this, my first doughnut making experience:
These puppies took me about 3 hours and 15 minutes from start to finish. I started craving them after my morning run, and sunk my teeth into my first warm doughnut bite around 2pm. Worth every minute! Seriously.
I burned my mouth, yes, four times eating donut balls that were just too fresh from the fryer. Worth it. I’d do it all over again.
If I didn’t get the what was left after the “Joy vs. Doughnut Throwdown 2008” out of my house, I might well have eaten every singe one. Not a joke. Fact.
If you’ve never made doughnuts before, here is my advice to you: Oh my God! Take the afternoon off. Turn off your phone. Make these donuts. Eat five to eight, and then promptly walk over to your neighbors house and beg them to take the rest off your hands. If your neighbors aren’t home you might even want to call the cops, they’ll be able to stop you from eating the remainder. You’ll need handcuffs.
Oh My God! Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts!
Gourmet, December 2006
makes 1 dozen doughnuts
1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons warm water (105–115°F)
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for sprinkling and rolling out dough
1 cup whole milk at room temperature
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
About 10 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
Stir together yeast and warm water in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If yeast doesn’t foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
Mix together flour, milk, butter, yolks, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and yeast mixture in mixer at low speed until a soft dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 3 minutes more.
Scrape dough down side of bowl (all around) into center, then sprinkle lightly with flour (to keep a crust from forming). Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Alternatively, let dough rise in bowl in refrigerator 8 to 12 hours.)
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round (1/2 inch thick). Cut out as many rounds as possible with 3-inch cutter, then cut a hole in center of each round with 1-inch cutter and transfer doughnuts to a lightly floured large baking sheet. Cover doughnuts with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes (45 minutes if dough was cold when cutting out doughnuts). Do not reroll scraps.
Heat 2 1/2 inches oil in a deep 4-quart heavy pot until it registers 350°F on thermometer. Fry doughnuts, 2 at a time, turning occasionally with a wire or mesh skimmer or a slotted spoon, until puffed and golden brown, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 350°F between batches.)
I also fried the doughnut holes for about 1 minute and them tossed them in powdered sugar and cinnamon sugar straight out of the hot grease.
Chocolate Glaze
recipe from Alton Brown
This is enough glaze for a double batch of doughnuts! ;)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Place the mixture over a bowl of warm water and dip the doughnuts immediately. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving.
Want more options for doughnut glazes? Chocolate doesn’t float your boat? See if any of these toppings fit your fancy!
plasterers bristol
I’ve never tried making my own douhnuts before, sounds like fun. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
Linda
Hi, these donuts look delicious. Ive made the dough and put it in the fridge to rise overnight but is the dough supposed to be really sticky and soft or just soft but not so sticky?? Thanks :)
Priya
Wow. Just made these, after having them bookmarked for years! They are amazing. I was scared of the deep frying thing and gooey sticky dough… Needn’t have been cos they turned out delicious. Gorgeous and crisp on the outside and soft and melt in the mouth inside. Like you, these are a Joy. Sorry, could not resist!
Madeline
I made the dough but it didn’t rise! The yeast was bubbling in the warm water when we added it to the dough. While mixing it the dough started to stick to the mixers too much. I hand kneaded it a little and put it in a warm place to rise. Any idea why it didn’t work?