“The Donut”
DONUT RECIPE
Makes ~ 1 dozen
America the beautiful. With amber waves of frosting. How I love thee. Every country has some kind of fried, sweetened pastry. But ours embody the the uniquely American sentiment of thrift and excess all in on bite. Sure it’ll clog your arteries and put you at risk for diabetes, but it’ll only cost you a few cents.
INGREDIENTS:
500g of flour (AP or Bread flour)
90g of sugar
30g of unsalted butter
240g of milk
2 eggs
11g of yeast (I use SAF Insant)
3g of salt
30g of vegetable oil
Oil for frying (I don’t use a set amount. I just enough in my dutch oven until it’s about 1” deep)
1/2 cup of sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon for coating the donuts once fried
STEPS:
Warm the Wet Ingredients:
Combine the milk, butter, vegetable oil, and eggs. Whisk over low heat until a thermometer reads 100ºF or it’s quite warm to the touch.
Add the yeast stir.
Set aside for 10 minutes to hydrate and prove the yeast.
Mix the dry ingredients:
Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
Set aside.
Mix:
Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
Add the dry ingredients to the same bowl.
Mix on a low/medium speed (2) for 4 minutes until the ingredients are well incorporated.
Increase the speed to medium (4) for about 6-8 minutes.
Turn out the dough onto a work surface and shape into a ball.
Spray the inside of a separate mixing bowl with cooking spray.
Place the dough ball into the bowl, and roll it around to coat it with the cooking spray.
Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Cut Out the Donuts:
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
Roll out the dough to about 3/4” thick.
Cut out circles using a large biscuit cutter, and set aside the scraps.
Using the smallest biscuit cutter, cut the holes out of the circles.
Also cut the scraps into donut holes with the biscuit cutter.
Add a sheet of parchment paper to a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.
Place the doughnuts and holes onto the baking sheet and spray the tops with cooking spray.
Place another sheet of parchment on top and allow to proof at room temperature for 1 hour to 90 minutes.
Fry ‘em Up:
Heat the oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over med-high heat until a thermometer reads 325ºF.
Carefully add the donuts a few at a time into the oil.
Fry on the 1st side for 15 seconds, then flip.
Fry on the second side until golden then flip back to the first side.
Remove to a baking sheet with a cooling rack on top of it.
Repeat with the remaining donuts and holes.
While the donuts are still warm toss them in a bowl with cinnamon and sugar or make your favorite glaze or frosting.
Feel free to contact me if you want some ideas for frosting. I’m happy to send them along.
Serve!