Homemade Doughnuts

I love doughnuts, especially fresh and warm just made kind. We used to get them at our local Krispy Kreme in Riverhead when their light was on indicating they were just made, but they closed down a couple of years ago. While I love Dunkin Donuts for their coffee and the kids like their doughnuts ok, they are not what I would describe as fresh and homemade.

 When doing a search for making  doughnuts at home I stumbled on a link to this great doughnut shop Top Pot Doughnuts, but its all the way in Seattle! They have however recently released a book for the home baker called, Hand-Forged Doughnuts, Secrets and Recipes for the Home Baker. I got my hands on it and tried out their Old- Fashioned Pumpkin Doughnuts with pumpkin glaze.  These are a cake like doughnut that are fried, it was a little bit of a process but they give you step by step easy to follow instructions.  They came out really delicious.  See the yummy cracks - the pumpkin spice glaze just seeps into them and is ultra yum!  I am keeping this recipe and will make them again.  I want to try next their recipe for maple bars, this is a raised doughnut that is slathered with maple icing, yummy! For summer months there is a blueberry cake doughnut and a blackberry fritter recipe.  If you want to make great doughnuts at home pick up a copy of this book at your local library or buy a copy of your own, it is one you'll want to go back to again and again.

http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/1452102120

         
Old Fashioned Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts:
3 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp shortening
2 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
Canola oil for frying
Pumpkin Glaze:
4 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
2 tsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup hot water
For doughnuts: sift the flour and spices together in a med bowl, set aside.  In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend the sugar and shortening on low speed about 1 minute.  Add the egg yolks and blend together for 1 more minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the dry ingredients to this mixture in 2 additions alternating with the sour cream and pumpkin.  Mix until combined on low speed, scrape down sides of bowl as needed.  The dough will be sticky.  Transfer the dough to a clean bowl covered in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes.  While cooling, make the glaze:  Add all glaze ingredients except for the hot water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Mix on medium speed and slowly add the hot water, blending till incorporated well, scraping the bowl as needed.  To fry the doughnuts:  Heat oil in a large pot, oil level should be at least 2 inches, and put a candy thermometer to measure the temp, it should heat up to 325 degrees (be careful - this is very hot!)  Roll out your dough on a well floured surface and use a doughnut cutter to cut out as many doughnuts and holes as possible.  Fold and gently reroll the dough to make more holes.  Shake excess flour off and carefully add the to the hot oil a few at a time.  When the doughnuts begin to float, fry for a few more seconds, then gently flip them, continue frying until golden brown and cracked - they fry fast so keep your eye on them, flip over to other side again to a few more seconds until golden if needed.  Transfer doughnuts to a rack set over paper towels or a pan lined with paper towels.  While the doughnuts are still warm dip the side with the most cracks into warm pumpkin glaze, let set on racks, glazed side up.  Then serve and enjoy :)
Adapted from Hand-Forged Doughnuts, Secrets and Recipes for the Home Baker
                           

 

 

Apple Fritters:

I also found this amazing recipe for Apple Fritters, they are also great to do at home and are so good ~with an apple and spice filling and coated in cinnamon and sugar, such a yummy combination .  I can still smell the apple and cinnamon aromas as I type this :)  These are heaven and so good just made-warm.

 

 

This recipe can be found here, originally posted in Bon Appetit October 2010:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Apple-Fritters-with-Bourbon-Ice-Cream-361262

Chocolates and Confections

I received several great cookbooks for Christmas this year and I'm excited to try some new recipes.  The first one I've tried is from my new book, "Chocolates and Confections at Home with the Culinary Institute of America", Pecan Buttercrunch, a chocolaty nutty toffee ~ it's so wonderful.   Overall it is simple to make, the tricky part is cooking the sugar mixture.  You will need a candy thermometer for this.  Here's the recipe:

Pecan Buttercrunch
1 cup sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract extract
8oz dark chocolate, I used ghirardelli 60 % cacao bittersweet chocolate about 3/4 of a 12 oz bag
2 cups chopped salted toasted pecans


Line a 10X15 sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a heavy 2 qt saucepan combine the sugar, butter, water, salt and vanilla.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula.
Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and continue stirring while cooking until the thermometer reads 290 F degrees and the mixture is a light golden brown.
Immediately pour into prepared pan and spread quickly to the edges with a metal offset spatula.
Sprinkle the chocolate evenly over the buttercrunch and let sit for 2-3 minutes to melt.  Then spread the chocolate until smooth with a clean offset spatula.  Sprinkle with the pecans.  Allow the chocolate to set completely.  Break the buttercrunch into pieces and serve.  Can be stored at room temp in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Adapted from "Chocolates and Confections at Home with the Culinary Institute of America"