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Quick & EasyBy Beverly Barbour
The hole world loves doughnutsThere is a human compulsion, shared by practically every culture in the world, to eat fried dough. The Native Americans have "fry bread," the Mexicans have churro, the French have beignets and so it goes. We Americans love doughnuts so much that we even eat the holes. Doughnuts are actually easy and fun to make but my very first doughnut making experience was a disaster. My favorite uncle and I were in the kitchen one night and we decided to surprise my aunt Ruth Ann with some fresh hot doughnuts. We found a recipe and went to work. My uncle being born with a surplus of creative genes thought it would be nice if we cut the doughnuts with cookie cutters shaped like animals instead of making dull, repetitive rings. I thought this was the greatest idea ever to come out of a kitchen so we went to work. To accomplish this we had to make the dough nice and firm--lots of flour. You can imagine how tough and hard the menagerie of animals was and, yes, they weren't cooked in the center. Ruth Ann came home and she was surprised all right. But, being the wonderful person that she truly was, she declared them absolutely beautiful and absolutely delicious (and I'm sure through them out the minute I went home). The best doughnut maker I have ever known was my mother-in-law, Martha Anderson of Rolla, N.D. Martha used to come home from work and quick-as-a-wink make doughnuts for her kids, her grandkids and anybody in the neighborhood that somehow got wind of that delicious scent, frying sweet dough. The two things to remember about making doughnuts (aside from always make a hole in the middle and don't use too much flour) are: --Use fresh oil and never let it smoke. The higher the smoking point of the oil, the better the oil is for doughnuts. Peanut oil has a high smoking point so it is recommended. Lard may not be all that healthy as a steady ingredient in the diet but it is an excellent frying medium as every great-grandmother and every Mexican cook knows. --Keep the oil at 375 F. Don't put too many doughnuts in the pan at one time or the temperature of the oil will go down and the doughnuts will absorb the oil and become soggy. Martha's Nutmeg DoughnutsButtermilk is best but sour milk works well, too. You can sour the milk by stirring in 3/4 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and letting it sit a few minutes. 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter, melted Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs and buttermilk. Stir together the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Add to the butter mixture and beat until completely mixed. Pour about 2-inch of oil in a pan and begin heating over medium heat. Working on a floured surfaced, roll and pat the dough to 1/2-inch thick; cut out doughnuts using a floured cutter. Set the doughnuts and their holes aside on a baking sheet. Push scraps together, reroll them and cut more doughnuts. Gently lower each doughnut and hole with a slotted spoon into the 375 F oil, wait until temperature comes back up to 375 F before adding another doughnut. Flip each over as they rise to the surface and puff. Turn them 2 or 3 more times as they cook. Each will take 2 or 3 minutes to become golden brown all over. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on papers towels. While warm they can be tossed in granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar, if desired. Makes about 20. Freeze any that aren't eaten hot. *Note: 1 cup of all-purpose flour is equal to 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour. If using all-purpose use only 3 cups plus 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Old-fashioned Raised DoughnutsThe dough is soft but easy to work with and the doughnuts can either be sugared or glazed. They are best eaten the first day, warm if possible. 1/3 cup warmed milk (not hot) Stir together the milk and the yeast and let dissolve for about 5 minutes. Bring water to a boil and stir in shortening and sugar, stir until sugar is dissolved and shortening melted. Remove from heat. When water mixture has cooled to warm, combine with yeast mixture. Stir in eggs and 2 cups of flour. Beat well. Add 2 more cups flour and the salt and mace. Stir until well mixed. Add only enough more flour to make a manageable dough, it should be very soft. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in large greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled. Punch down and roll dough out 1/2-inch thick. Cut the doughnuts with a 2-inch cutter. Place on wax paper or a greased baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Let rise until light, about 1 hour. Heat oil to 375 F and using slotted spoon gently ease one doughnut and hole into oil. When temperature is back up to 375 F add the second doughnut. Do not cook more than 3 at one time. Turn often until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and either roll in granulated sugar or glaze. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen. Glaze For DoughnutsThis can also be used for pound cakes, fruit breads, bundt cakes, etc. 1/3 cup water Bring water and granulated sugar to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and stir in butter until butter is melted. When cool begin adding confectioners sugar until icing turns white. Add vanilla. Add more confectioners sugar if necessary but the glaze should be thin. Keep the glaze over hot water to keep it thin. Dip the doughnuts in the glaze (both tops and bottoms, if you wish) and let drain on cooling racks. Scrape up any drippings and return to the pan to melt and be used again. Put on the coffee pot and get ready to dunk!
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