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Apple Cider Donut Recipe
If you don't know exactly what you're eating, the first time
you
sink your teeth into a fat apple cider doughnut, your instinct is to try to nail down that elusive flavor. Is it caramel? Vanilla? Maple? With apple cider doughnuts, there's no overwhelming flavor of apples or cider, but instead a subtle sweetness and a mellow tang.
Apple cider doughnuts are a variation on a traditional
cake
doughnut or buttermilk doughnut recipe. Unlike light, puffy, raised doughnuts, which get their lift from yeast, cake doughnuts have an old-fashioned heft and a tender, dense crumb. Done poorly, they resemble round paperweights; done well, it's like biting into the best of autumn, crisp and rich.
Although they may be dusted with cinnamon or powdered sugar
or
glazed with icing, most often these doughnuts are served plain -- ideally, alongside a steaming mug of hot apple cider. Doughnuts became associated with the cooler months for many settlers in the Northeastern United States and Canada. Why? Because fall is the traditional season both for harvest and hog slaughter
-- meaning it was the time of year when enough fat was
available to
fry doughnuts, traditionally cooked in lard. (Although most modern cooks fry doughnuts in vegetable oil, some purists, like me, still swear by lard to fry up the crispiest, lightest doughnuts.) It is difficult to trace the lineage of apple cider doughnuts in particular, but they have gained popularity in the American Northeast, home to numerous apple orchards.
These applecider doughnuts -- dense, richly spiced and with
a faint taste of
buttermilk -- are adapted from a recipe I acquired many years ago while working with Jim Hawthorn, a master baker from yesteryears. I am proud to share this recipe with you in memory of Jim. This cider overload is a seasonal treat, one you will appreciate!
For the glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar 2 tablespoons apple cider
For the doughnuts: In a saucepan over medium or medium-low
heat,
gently reduce the apple cider to about 1/4 cup, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking powder and soda,
cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside. Using an electric mixer on medium speed (with the paddle attachment, if using a standing mixer), beat the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat until the eggs are completely incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the reduced apple cider and the buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix just until the dough comes together.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or wax paper and
sprinkle them
generously with flour. Turn the dough onto 1 of the sheets and sprinkle the top with flour. Flatten the dough with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use more flour if the dough is still wet. Transfer the dough to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Pull the dough out of the freezer. Using a 3-inch doughnut cutter, cut out doughnut shapes. Place the cut doughnuts and doughnut holes onto the second sheet pan. Refrigerate the doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes. (You may re-roll the scraps of dough, refrigerate them briefly and cut additional doughnuts from the dough.)
Add enough oil to a deep-sided pan to measure a depth of
about 3
inches. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Have ready a plate lined with several thicknesses of paper towels. For the glaze: While the cut doughnut shapes are in the
To fry and assemble: Carefully add a few doughnuts to the
oil,
being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until golden brown, about 60 seconds. Turn the doughnuts over and fry until the other side is golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Drain on paper towels after the doughnuts are fried. Dip the top of the warm doughnuts into the glaze and serve immediately. Enjoy! |
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