Everything Doughnuts Recipes

THE BEST OLD-FASHIONED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt and the nutmeg in a large bowl until completely combined. Whisk together 2/3 cup of the buttermilk, the sour cream, eggs, yolks, 1 tablespoon of the vanilla paste and the oil in a medium bowl until completely combined. Fold the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients just until a soft and sticky dough comes together (do not overwork).
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and liberally dust with flour (about 1/3 cup).
• Scrape the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Dust your hands and the top of the dough with more flour, then gently pat the dough to 3/4-inch thick.
• Working on the baking sheet, punch out as many rounds as you can with a 3 1/4-inch cutter. Then use a 1 1/4-inch cutter to punch out the center of each round. Dip the cutters in flour before each cut to avoid sticking. Gather the dough scraps and gently re-roll without overworking the dough. Repeat cutting until all the dough has been used (you should have 8 doughnuts).
• Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and line a second rimmed baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Fit a large heavy pot with a deep-fry thermometer and pour in oil to a depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium-high until the thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Fry the doughnuts in batches until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the wire rack and let cool slightly. Fry the doughnut holes until deep golden brown, about 90 seconds per side. Transfer to the wire rack and let drain for 1 minute. Then transfer to the paper-towel lined baking sheet to cool for 10 minutes before glazing. (This two-step process gets a lot more oil out of the doughnuts than using only one method.) Repeat with the remaining dough, making sure the oil returns to temperature between batches.
• Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, the remaining 6 tablespoons buttermilk, the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla paste and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until the glaze is smooth and the consistency of honey; add more confectioners' sugar or buttermilk if necessary.
• Dip each doughnut into the glaze on one side (we like the craggy side, it has more texture for an appetizing appearance), letting the excess drip back into the bowl, then return it to the wire rack. Toss the doughnut holes in the glaze to coat completely and return to the wire rack. Let the glaze set for 10 minutes before serving.

EVERYTHING DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion flakes and garlic flakes on a pie plate, and toast in the oven until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooled "everything" mixture, whisk the rest in with the flour mixture, and set aside.
• Blend the sugar and butter on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the egg yolks and sour cream, and continue blending, stopping to scrape down the bowl if necessary, until smooth and combined, 30 seconds more. Reduce the speed to low, and add the flour mixture by generous 1/4 cups, combining each addition before adding the next. Continue on low after the last addition until the dough forms a shaggy ball, about 30 seconds. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a work surface, and lightly coat with cooking spray. Transfer the dough to the plastic wrap, and flatten it a bit into a narrow rectangle. Cover completely with the plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment, lightly coat with cooking spray. Unwrap the dough, and place it lengthwise on a lightly floured work surface. Dust a rolling pin and the top of the dough with flour. Roll the dough into a rectangle that is 1/2 inch thick and about 6 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches. Cut out 6 rounds with a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter (since the dough doesn't reroll well, cut the doughnuts as closely as possible). Cut out a hole in the center of each with a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Carefully transfer the doughnuts and holes to the prepared baking sheet. Without rerolling the remaining dough, cut a few more rounds with the 1 1/2-inch cutter, and transfer them to the baking sheet. Refrigerate the cut dough for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 275 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 2 1/2 inches of oil (about 8 cups) to 375 degrees F in a heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven. Carefully fry 2 doughnuts and about 4 holes at a time. They will sink, then slowly rise to the top. Once they float to the top, cook them until nicely browned, about 30 seconds, then flip and cook 30 seconds more. Remove them from the oil, let drain on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with some salt. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts and holes, keeping them warm in the oven until ready to serve.
• Transfer the doughnuts to a serving plate, drizzle with the honey and sprinkle with the reserved everything mixture.

DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In small sauce pan heat the 1/4 cup shortening until melted. Set aside to cool slightly but remain liquid.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and melted shortening together on medium speed, until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk and vanilla, continue beating until the mixture is light, about 2 minutes.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, mace, and salt into a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture on low speed until just combined. The texture of the dough will be soft and loose. Remove bowl from the mixer, scrape the dough off the paddle blade with a spatula. Transfer the dough to a large piece of plastic wrap and wrap it well. Refrigerate the dough for 4 hours or overnight.
• Roll the chilled dough out about 1/2 inch thick on a very lightly dusted workspace. Dip the edges of a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter in flour and cut the dough into doughnuts. Place the donuts and holes on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
• Spoon enough vegetable shortening into a tall heavy-bottomed pot so it fills the pan a third of the way. Heat the shortening over medium heat until a deep frying thermometer set in the oil registers 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• Working in batches, fry the doughnuts and holes, turning once, until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer the doughnuts from the fat with a slotted spoon or skimmer to the paper towels to drain and cool. Repeat until all the donuts and holes are fried. Make sure the oil comes back to the correct temperature before frying each batch.
• For sugared doughnuts, roll the doughnuts in sugar or cinnamon sugar while they are still warm. For confectioners' sugared covered doughnuts allow the doughnuts to cool completely before rolling in the confectioners' sugar.

DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the milk until it is warm but not hot, about 90 degrees. In a large bowl, combine it with the yeast. Stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat the eggs, butter, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons), and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is too wet. If you're using an electric mixer, the dough will probably become too thick to beat; when it does, transfer it to a floured surface, and gently knead it until smooth. Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out the doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, concentric cookie cutters or a drinking glass and a shot glass (the larger one should be about 3 inches in diameter), flouring the cutters as you go. Reserve the doughnut holes. If you're making filled doughnuts, don't cut out the middle. Knead any scraps together, being careful not to overwork, and let rest for a few minutes before repeating the process.
• Put the doughnuts on two floured baking sheets so that there is plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes. If your kitchen isn't warm, heat the oven to 200 at the beginning of this step, then turn off the heat, put the baking sheets in the oven and leave the door ajar.
• About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375. Meanwhile, line cooling racks, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
• Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time. If they're too delicate to pick up with your fingers (they may be this way only if you rose them in the oven), use a metal spatula to pick them up and slide them into the oil. It's O.K. if they deflate a bit; they'll puff back up as they fry. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a slotted spoon to flip; cook until they're deep golden all over. Doughnut holes cook faster. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375. Glaze or fill as follows, and serve as soon as possible.