I need to make some decisions. I know… welcome to everyday living.
Who do you turn to when it’s time to make big decisions?
Mama and Dad? Bestest girlfriends? Awesome boyfriends? Husband? Wifey? God? Bottle of beer? Giant stack of doughnuts?
When it comes to making decisions, I make lists… and stare at them. I take hot showers and try to figure out my life. I chip my manicure off. I stop blinking.
I ask friends for advice… and wait for them to give me the answer I want. Are you guilty of this too!? Be real. Bad habit.
I ask God… I listen and then I try to figure out how I’m going to hear his answer.
I think. I make more lists. I stare.
I’ve found that tremendous amounts of fried food also help the decision making process. Well… they help pass the time during the quiet list making/staring phase of the decision making process.
Do people actually make decisions while running around like maniacs? Is that something that works? Is there a lot of yelling involved? That sounds like chaos. I prefer the sitting, staring, fried food eat, and listening method… but really, that’s just my own personal crazybrain.
Oh wait! Are you one of those people that makes important decisions while working out?! Ugh. Why can’t I be you!?
I probably shouldn’t tell you how easy it is to make doughnuts at home.
These are cake doughnuts. They’re more dense than yeasty doughnuts. The outside has just a bit of crunch.
It all starts with just a bit of flour and sugar.
Doesn’t just about everything here start with flour and sugar and end in a ball?
Yes.
When you fry this… it definitely turns into doughnuts.
Small miracle, right?!
There are a few things that might keep you from making these doughnuts.
Do you have the fry/candy thermometer? Do you have lots of different circle biscuit cutters?
If not… you’re totally saving yourself some calories.
But if you do have these things handy in your kitchen, imagine the calories you can get yourself into!
I like the way you live.
Crisp, golden brown cake doughnuts.
Chocolate ready.
Monster dipping manhands ready.
These cake doughnuts don’t need that pesky yeast rise time. They’re crisp, but soft and dense. They’re doughnuts with chocolate glaze… so clearly they’re delicious. How much convincing do you really need?
Should I teach my kitten to speak so he can tell you how much he enjoyed stealing one off the counter and leaving half a kitten eaten doughnut on the floor for me to step in with my bare feet? Would that finally convince you that doughnuts are delicious!? Geez.
Old Fashioned Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze
makes between 6 and 10 doughnuts (I got 8 out of this batch)
adapted slightly from Doughnuts
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1 large egg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
vegetable oil for frying
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, and sugar.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together yogurt (or sour cream), egg, and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until well incorporated. The dough will take some smooshing to gather into a dish. It will be like a slightly more moist biscuit dough. Wrap bowl in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to rest for 15 minutes.
Place a candy/fry thermometer in a medium saucepan. Pour oil into the pan until it is about 2-inches deep. Heat oil over medium-low heat.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll bough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut doughnuts with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, and cut a hole with a smaller circle cutter.
When oil reaches 360 degrees F, fry 2 or 3 doughnuts at a time for about 1 minute on each side. Doughnuts will be golden brown. Carefully pull out, drain, and let rest on towel paper.
Chocolate Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons milk or water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Slowly stir in milk and vanilla extract. Whisk until silky and smooth. If you need a touch more milk to make this a dippable glaze, add a bit more.
Dip doughnuts in chocolate glaze and let rest to harden slightly.
Doughnuts are best served the day they’re made. They also freeze just fine!
Cayla
Oops, don’t mind me. That was just the sound of my drool falling on the keyboard. Yuck. and thats pretty awkward cos’ it actually happened.
Yay, Joy! You’re back! :D
Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
Hmmm…I’m a shower decision maker, but it sounds like you already tried that. Good luck deciding whatever is on your mind.
These donuts look awesome…probably a good thing that I don’t have a fry thermometer!
Michelle
Doughnuts make me weak. Especially old fashioned cakey ones.
Ani @ afotogirl | confessions of a foodie
Oh my goodness! Cake donuts are my favorite. Now I’m sitting here craving them! As for what I turn to when I’m mulling over a decision: lattes and
Cathy @ Savory Notes
There it goes. Did you see it? My diet just flew out the window. It left a note though, it says: “Thanks.” ;)
Maureen
These chocolate donuts look devine. They remind me of the wonderful ones I would get at the bakery when I was a child. They don’t make them like that anymore!
Anyway, now you have me inspired to write more lists. Lists and donuts…great therapy!
Maureen
Frances @ The Foodess Files
I find that a cappuccino almost always sorts me out. But it has to be reeeeeeeallllly good. :) Know what goes amazingly with cappuccino? Doughnuts!! THIS is going to be the recipe that motivates me to fry things in my own home. Thank You! AND: How dare you.
Any ideas for a strawberry glaze….? Just thinking out loud….
Julie
Beautiful donuts!
You’re killing me. It’s almost midnight and I’m needing a donut now.
I wonder if there are any 24-hour donut shops around here.
Kartik @ Bakeology 101
Be still my heart! My lab is going to love me forever when I make this. I wonder if I can use this recipe to woo that special someone.
Leah
this is killing me!
I can’t eat chocolate atm, and these look so good…maybe i can make vanilla ones???
Mama Maria
GOD BLESS COMFORT FOOD!!! :D
Mama Maria
Me again…
Do you happen to have a good recipe for a maple glaze?
Jihee
Oh my god, I just got home from the gym and I’m drooling over these! Must contain myself! haha they look so delicious, I can almost smell them!
Natashia@foodonpaper
Mmmmm… doughnuts. Sorry, had to. In regards to your “who do you turn to”.. me, I go into my cave. Most people figure this out then come to me. It’s a great system.
jen @ the baked life
I’m in that cave with you. Thinking it out on my own. I may confer with a cat or two, no actual humans.
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
There’s no way that fried dough with sugar + a chocolate glaze couldn’t help you figure out life’s big decisions. Everything will seem clearer and more in focus after one. Or a few. Of these :)
They look wonderful!
Abby
DOUGHNUTS…. *wide eyes* O.O
you’re back. *interwebz hugs* i’m so glad.
joythebaker
just for you abby! juuuust for you!