Hand-Forged Doughnuts Adventure

“Mention deep-frying anything at home, and many cooks panic. Hot oil requires care, of course, but doughnuts are simpler to make than you might think.”

That’s Mark and Michael Klebeck’s advice from their cookbook “Hand-Forged Doughnuts: Secrets and Recipes for the Home Baker.” Who could imagine I’d ever worry about something in the kitchen? Especially involving hot oil?

At first I thought that somewhere inside the cookbook with the pillowy jacket there might be an option for baking the pastries instead of frying them. Nope. Fry-way or the highway.

After two trips to the kitchen store for the right doughnut-cutter and a grocery store run to stock up on canola oil, I texted Gen. She had given me the cookbook, and the recipe would make plenty to share.

For some context, doughnuts are a rare treat for me. Back in the early days of Coffee Coolattas at Dunkin’ Donuts, they made a green pistachio doughnut that clashed with itself. I was apparently the only one who enjoyed it because that flavor got discontinued. My all-time favorite, though, is a freshly fried apple cider doughnut from a special spot in Vermont.

For my own attempt, I decided on chocolate cake doughnuts with simple icing, swapping out the vanilla extract for almond. Having a stand mixer helped, but a hand mixer would have been fine although the dough did get quite thick and sticky. For toppings, I minced crystallized ginger, crushed freeze-dried raspberries, and prepared a small bowl of mini chocolate chips.

Making the dough the night before freed me up to focus on facing down my fears about the oil. I donned my old college outing club t-shirt, jeans, and socks. I tied back my hair and kept the glasses on.

The cookbook’s tips really helped. So did having the recommended 2¾-inch diameter doughnut cutter with a removable center ring. It seemed way too small at first, but this ultimately made the pastries easier to fry.

Spring is probably the best time for doughnut-making at home. Not too hot or too cold out. Nice fresh air through the windows. In the end, frying wasn’t that scary. What was scary: how quickly we ate all those doughnuts.

Chocolate Cake Doughnuts with Almond Icing
Adapted from Hand-Forged Doughnuts

Dough:
2 C. (225g) cake flour OR 2 C. all-purpose flour, replacing 4 Tbsp. w/ cornstarch
½ C. (50g) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s Special Dark)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt (original recipe calls for iodized, but non-iodized worked fine)
¾ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ C. (100g) sugar
2 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
⅔ C. (165 ml) whole milk

Icing:
4½ C. (1 lb.) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1½ tsp. light corn syrup (Karo)
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. almond extract
⅓ C. plus 1 Tbsp. (95 ml total) hot water, plus more if needed

Toppings:
Mini chocolate chips
Toasted almonds
Freeze-dried raspberries, crushed
Crystallized ginger, minced

12 C. (2.5L) canola oil, for frying (see note below)

Tools: Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, rolling pin, 2¾-inch doughnut cutter with removable center, metal pot, candy thermometer, long metal tongs or chopsticks, metal strainer or slotted spoon, cooling racks.

Make the dough: In a medium bowl, sift the measured flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together, and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the sugar and shortening on low speed for 1 minute, until sandy. While it’s still running, add the egg yolks one at a time. Then raise to medium speed and mix for 1 more minute, scraping the sides of the bowl if needed, until mixture is light colored and thick. Mix in the vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add and incorporate about a third of the dry ingredients. Then add half of the milk and let it incorporate. Add another third of the dry ingredients, let that mix together, then the second half of the milk, and finally the last third of the dry ingredients. The dough will be very thick and sticky. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 45 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Prep for frying: I used a 9-inch-diameter, 6-inch-high pressure cooker pot. Minimum pot height is 5 inches for frying this much oil. Cover your arms, legs, and feet with clothing. Attach a candy thermometer to the pot. Put aluminum foil on unused parts of the stove. Place paper towels under cooling racks on or next to the covered stovetop. Put a folded paper towel next to the pot for your tools.

Heat the oil to 370°F, lowering the temperature as it gets past 200°F so it doesn’t shoot past the target temperature. Heating the oil can take 20 to 35 minutes.

While the oil is heating, sprinkle 2–3 tablespoons of flour onto a clean counter or large cutting board. Flouring the top of the dough and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough to ½-inch thick or about 8 inches in diameter.

Dipping the cutter into the flour before each cut, make as many doughnuts and holes as possible. Working with floured hands, fold and gently re-roll the dough to make extra holes. Shake any excess flour off the doughnuts.

Set the stove clock to count down from 40 minutes to help keep track of the seconds while frying.

DO NOT get any water near the oil. Don’t rush. Concentrate. Sacrifice a piece of dough to test the oil. Going a few at a time, carefully add the doughnuts to the hot oil, being careful not to crowd them.

As soon as the doughnuts float, fry for about 60 seconds on one side. Using long metal tongs, wooden chopsticks, or metal chopsticks, gently turn the doughnuts right at the oil’s surface, and fry for another 60 seconds on the other side. I used a metal slotted spoon to gently lift out the doughnuts to drain them on a rack. Allow to cool.

For the holes, place them on a metal slotted spoon or mesh strainer and gently lower them into the oil. They can splatter if you try to put them in by hand. Fry for about 75% of the recommended time for the doughnuts — around 45 seconds per side. Make sure they get fried on all sides. Use the spoon or strainer to carefully remove them to the rack.

Make the icing: While the doughnuts are cooling, place the confectioners’ sugar, golden syrup, salt, vanilla, and hot water in a large mixing bowl or in the work bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. On low speed, blend until the mixture is smooth and all of the sugar has been incorporated, scraping the sides as needed. Should the icing feel too thick, add more hot water, a teaspoon at a time.

Using one hand, dip a cooled doughnut into the warm icing. I rotated the doughnut slightly to make sure it got coated. Right after dipping, use your other hand to sprinkle on the desired topping. Repeat with the rest of the doughnuts. Allow them to dry for 10 – 15 minutes before serving.

For the doughnut holes, put a few tablespoons of powdered sugar in a paper bag, add the holes, close the bag, and gently shake to coat them — the same technique Guillaume’s grandmother used for her beignets.