Category Archives: Donuts

Apple Cider Doughnut Holes

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I volunteered to make something to sell at a charity bake sale and as luck would have it King Arthur Baking send me an email with this recipe, Apple Cider Doughnut Holes.

I made them pretty much as the recipe specified and decided next time I would omit the cardamom. Maybe there was too much, but it overpowered the sugar/cinnamon coating. Live and learn. (They were pretty darn good anyway.)

I reduced a half gallon of apple cider to make the boiled cider and mixed my own apple pie spice using the ratio of 4::2::1 cinnamon::nutmeg::allspice.

Apple Cider Donut Holes – KAB

INGREDIENTS
Batter
• 100g ( ½ c) granulated sugar
• 71g ( ⅓ c ) light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, packed
• 57g (4 Tbl) unsalted butter, softened
• 50g ( ¼ c) vegetable oil
• ¾ tsp table salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 320g (2 ⅔ c) AP Flour
• 2 tsp apple pie spice (see below)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 227g (1 c) milk
• 64g (3 Tbl) boiled cider (see below)
Topping
• 141g (10 Tbl) unsalted butter
• 85g ( ¼ c) boiled cider (see below)
• 248g (1 ¼ c) granulated sugar
• 11g (4 ¼ tsp) apple pie spice (see below)

METHOD

  1. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan.
  2. In a large bowl, use a flexible spatula to vigorously mix the sugars, butter, oil, and salt until smooth.
  3. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring between each. Stir in the vanilla.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, spice, baking powder, and baking soda.
  5. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk to combine the milk and boiled cider.
  6. Add one-third of the dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter mixture, mixing gently to combine. Gently mix in half the liquid. Stir in another third of the dry ingredients, then the remaining liquid. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then gently mix until the batter is mostly smooth; a few small lumps are OK.
  7. Portion the batter into the wells of the prepared pan, using a heaping tablespoon for each well (about 22 grams); a tablespoon scoop works well here. (You’ll use about half the batter to fill 24 wells of a mini muffin pan; set the remaining batter aside.)
  8. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until just golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. While the doughnut holes bake, prepare the topping.
  9. To make the topping: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and boiled cider and heat in 30-second increments until the butter is melted, then whisk to fully combine.
  10. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the sugar and spice.
  11. Remove the doughnut holes from the oven and, as soon as they’re cool enough to handle, turn them out of the pan. Working with one piece at a time, dip each doughnut hole into the butter-cider mixture, shake slightly over the bowl to remove any excess, and then immediately transfer to the sugar mixture; toss to coat.
  12. Transfer the coated doughnut holes to a wire rack, and repeat baking and topping process with the remaining batter. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  13. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended.

BOILED CIDER

  1. Add ½ gallon of apple cider to a heavy duty 4-6 qt stock pot.
  2. Heat cider to boiling and continue with occasional stirring until the cider has thickened to the consistency of maple syrup. There should be about 2 cups of boiled cider,

APPLE PIE SPICE
• 4 parts cinnamon
• 2 parts nutmeg
• 1 part all spice

Baked Jelly Donut Holes

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A day off from golf usually means a day on in Dede’s bakery.

I found this recipe from Natashas Kitchen on YouTube. Considering they are not fried (a good thing) they are light, airy and delicious. (An even better thing.) I did cheat and bought some seedless raspberry jam to fill the donuts rather than making my own. (Raspberries are very expensive this time of year.)

I followed the method as written below but was slightly disappointed with re-rolling the scraps to make the additional 4 donuts. The dough didn’t come together all that well. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Baked Jelly Donut Holes

INGREDIENTS
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast, quick acting, (1 packet = 7 grams)
• ⅔ cup warm milk, 110˚F – microwave 35 sec.
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided 3::1
• 2 egg yolks
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup jelly or jam, (no large fruit pieces)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar to roll donuts

METHOD

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, ¼ cup sugar, 2 ¼ tsp instant yeast and ¼ tsp salt.
  2. Add warm milk, 3 Tbsp melted butter, 2 egg yolks and ½ tsp vanilla extract, and whisk vigorously to combine well.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature 10 minutes, until some bubbles form on the surface.
  4. Add remaining 1 ½ cups flour, adding just enough until dough holds together and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl (Add the last 2 Tbsp of flour only if needed) and knead in the bowl 5 minutes. If dough is really sticking to your hands, dust lightly with flour then continue kneading with clean dry hands. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a 100˚F oven for 45 min or at room temperature for 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll the dough out to just under ½” thick. Cut circles using a 2 ½ inch round cookie cutter. Re-roll scraps if needed to make 12 donuts total. Place donuts on prepared baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and let rise in a 100˚F oven for 20 min or at room temperature 45 min, or until puffed.
  7. While the donuts are rising, preheat oven to 375˚F with rack in the center of the oven.
  8. Bake uncovered in the center of a preheated oven at 375˚F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
  9. Right out of the oven, brush each hot bun, one at a time, all over with remaining 1 Tbsp melted butter and roll in a bowl of granulated sugar to coat all over.
  10. After all the donuts are sugar coated, cut a deep slit in the side of each donut and pipe jam with a pastry bag into each one.

Crumb Cake Donuts – Sally’s Baking Addiction Monthly Challenge

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I am often asked “Why don’t you open a bake shop?” (Then it wouldn’t be a hobby.) Or, “Why don’t you enter a baking contest? (Because if I don’t have a recipe in front of me, I am useless.)

I have followed Sally’s Baking Addiction for quite a while. She is one of the several that I refer to when I need advice or another opinion (not that anyone knows they are doing this for me.) For nebulous reasons I entered Sally’s monthly challenge this week. First, she provides the recipe, second I can bake in my own kitchen at my own pace

Also, I like baked, cake donuts and these are good ones. There are a lot of ingredients, but nothing too challenging. The method does not have a lot steps and the donuts come together quickly. The instructions were spot on and the results excellent.

Crumb Cake Donuts

INGREDIENTS
Crumb Topping
• 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (140g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

Donuts
• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup (135g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (120ml) milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (120g) plain yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• confectioners’ sugar for dusting

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
  2. Make the crumb topping: Mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter using a fork, then add the flour. Mix and crumble with a fork. Set aside.
  3. Make the donuts: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, milk, yogurt, and vanilla together until completely combined.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix. The batter will be very thick.
  5. Pipe the batter into the donut cavities filling about halfway. Grab a handful of crumb-topping and press down onto the batter of each donut. Pressing it snug into the batter helps prevent the crumb coating from falling off the donuts. (If you only have 1 donut pan, keep the remaining batter in the bowl at room temperature until you can bake the next batch.)
  6. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned. Allow to cool for about two minutes then transfer to a wire rack set on a large piece of parchment paper. Bake the remaining donut batter and once baked, transfer to the wire rack. Dust the tops of each with a light coating of confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
  7. Donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 2 days.


Freezing Instructions: Freeze the baked and cooled donuts for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm up to your liking in the microwave.

A Bright Golden Haze on the Donut.

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I retrieved my deep fryer from storage planning to make some jelly donuts. Well, I did and they were a total disaster. I faithfully followed the recipe, which apparently was deeply flawed and a deeply dejected baker binned the result.

To make myself feel better I made beignets which were fantastic. That pulled me half way out of the well of despair. This morning I made glazed donuts (all of which were on my baking bucket list) and I finally gasped the clear cool air of success.

I also had a half recipe of beignets, the dough of which I stored in the refrigerator overnight to see if they can be made a few at a time for a day or two. They were just as good today.

(Revisiting jelly donuts next time the fryer rears its ugly head.)

Glazed Donuts

INGREDIENTS
• 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (not active dry yeast)
• ¾ cup warm water
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil (for frying)
Glaze
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add yeast 1 Tbl (of the ⅓ cup of sugar,) and warm water. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add sugar, salt, unsalted butter, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Attach the flat beater and mix on low speed to combine.
  2. Switch to the dough hook and add 2½ cups flour, half a cup at a time while the stand mixer is on low speed. Knead on low until the dough starts to form. If the dough is still very sticky add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be somewhat tacky, but not sticky.
  3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Make sure to place the bowl in a draft free, warm spot in your kitchen. Allow it to rise for 2 hours.
  4. Gently press in the middle of the dough to deflate. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about ½ inch thick. Use a 3½ – 4” round donut cutter or a large round cookie cutter to cut circles out of the dough. Use a 1” round cutter to cut out the center of the donut (donut holes). Place the cut-out donuts and donut holes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly cover with plastic wrap, and then drape a clean dry towel over the top and allow to rest for 1 hour (no more than 1 hour or the dough will start to get too yeasty).
  6. In a large Dutch oven filled with 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil over medium heat, bring the temperature of the oil up to 330-340°F.
  7. Carefully place the donuts into the hot oil and allow to cook on each side until golden brown. Work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot.
  8. Carefully remove the cooked donuts and place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and a cooling rack. Repeat the steps until all of the donuts have been cooked.

Glaze

  1. In a separate mixing bowl combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to combine until no lumps remain. Carefully lower each slightly cooled donut (one at a time) into the glaze. Gently flip the donut to coat the other side. Return the donuts back to the cooling rack and allow the glaze to set, for about 10 minutes.

8 Crazy Days

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Hanukkah starts Sunday at sundown. Jelly donuts are always a part of our Hanukkah celebration. Of course, it’s part of many of our celebrations… like Thursdays, or the First of The Month Days and many others.

Making these donuts is strait forward with only a couple of possible pitfalls. One is to overwork the dough. Knead it for 2 minutes only! Another is to be sure it fully proofed. When poked, the dough should bounce back slowly, but bounce back. Lastly, regulate the frying temperature. Too hot and they will bake on the outside but not on the inside. Too cold and the donuts will be greasy.

You don’t need an occasion or excuse to make donuts. Try them anytime. It’s a fun bake and the results are delicious.

JELLY DOUGHNUTS

INGREDIENTS
• 1 tablespoon dry yeast
• ¾ cup about 100° F milk
• ¼ cup melted butter
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 large egg and 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 2 ½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Vegetable oil for frying
• ¾ cup jam or jelly, any flavor
For the Coating:
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
METHOD

  1. Generously flour a clean work surface and lightly oil a medium-size bowl.
  2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the warm milk, then sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Using the dough hook in the stand mixer, stir to dissolve and allow it to sit until it gets foamy, about 10 minutes. Add the butter, salt and sugar, and stir to combine. Blend in the egg and egg yolk, then beat in 2 cups of the flour. Beat until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, then beat in another ½ cup flour plus the nutmeg.
  3. When the batter has formed into a cohesive ball, turn it onto the floured work surface and knead the dough for two minutes. (No more!) Add more flour as needed if the dough feels too sticky. Form the dough into a ball, and place in the oiled bowl. Cover with a dishtowel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft-free place until the dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Check with the poke test.
  4. Re-flour your work surface. Turn the dough onto the floured surface and roll it out with a floured rolling pin to a ½-inch thickness.
  5. Depending on how big you want your final donuts (2 1/2 – 3 inch) cookie cutter, cut as many rounds as you can,. Gather the scraps, let them sit for another 15 minutes, then roll the dough out again, and cut as many more circles as possible. Place the circles on a very lightly floured baking sheet with a couple of inches between each doughnut, cover with a clean dishtowel or loose plastic wrap, and let sit for about 1 hour, until they are quite puffy, about 1 inch thick.
  6. About 15 minutes before you are going to fry the doughnuts, place paper towels on a clean surface. Make the sugar coating: In a shallow bowl, mix together the 1 cup sugar with the cinnamon. And pour at least 2 inches of oil into a deep skillet or pan. Heat to 375° F over medium heat.
  7. Use a spatula to transfer two or three doughnuts into the pan. They will rise and bob on the surface; fry for about 1 minute, until golden brown on the underside, then flip them and cook until the second side is golden brown, another 1 to 2 minutes. You can occasionally gently press the doughnuts down into the oil to cook the sides evenly. Remove the doughnuts, allowing excess oil to drain back into the pan, and let them rest for a minute on the paper towels.
  8. Then place them in the bowl with the sugar coating and turn to coat completely.
  9. Use a chopstick or wooden dowel to poke a hole into the side of each doughnut, and as you slide it in, give it a wiggle to create a small pocket in the center of the doughnut. Fill a pastry bag or sturdy plastic bag with the jelly. Insert the pastry bag into the hole on the side of the doughnut. Gently squeeze a couple of teaspoons of jelly into the middle of the doughnut. Remove the bag carefully from the doughnut, and repeat until all the doughnuts are filled.
  10. Serve warm or at room temperature.