Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts - Mark Klebeck [16]
SPICED CHAI CAKE DOUGHNUTS
MAKES ONE DOZEN doughnuts and holes
MADE WITH A COMBINATION OF NUTMEG, CINNAMON, GINGER, CLOVES, and cardamom, these sweetly spiced doughnuts, which we first made for Starbucks, are our dessert version of chai tea.
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SPICED CHAI DOUGHNUTS
23/4 cups/315 g cake/soft-wheat flour, plus more for rolling and cutting
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp iodized salt
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
2/3 cup/130 g sugar
2 tbsp shortening/vegetable lard, trans-fat-free preferred
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
2/3 cup/165 ml whole milk
Canola oil, for frying
SPICED CHAI ICING
41/2 cups/1 lb/450 g confectioners’/icing sugar, sifted
11/2 tsp light corn/golden syrup
1/4 tsp iodized salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup/75 ml prepared sweetened hot chai tea (such as Oregon Chai)
TIME
1 hour 5 minutes active time, plus icing
EQUIPMENT
Doughnut cutter (or 23/4 in/7 cm and 11/4 in/3 cm round cutters)
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- First, make the doughnut dough: Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices together into a medium bowl, and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the sugar and shortening/vegetable lard for 1 minute on low speed, until sandy. Add the egg and egg yolk, then mix for 1 more minute on medium speed, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary, until the mixture is light colored and thick.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three separate additions, alternating with the milk, mixing until just combined on low speed each time. The dough will be very sticky, like very wet cookie/biscuit dough.
- Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and refrigerate, covered directly with plastic wrap/cling film, for 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
- Meanwhile, make the icing: Place the confectioners’/icing sugar, corn/golden syrup, salt, and vanilla in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the machine on medium speed, add the tea in a slow, steady stream, and blend until all of the sugar has been incorporated, scraping the bowl a few times, if necessary. Set aside.
- Using a candy thermometer to measure the temperature, heat oil (at least 2 in/5 cm deep) in a deep fryer, large pot, or high-sided frying pan over medium heat to 370°F/185°C. (See the frying tips.) Gently roll out the chilled dough on a counter or cutting board floured with about 1/4 cup/30 g cake/soft-wheat flour to 1/2 in/12 mm thick, or about 8 in/20 cm in diameter, flouring the top of the dough and the rolling pin with another 2 tbsp flour, or as necessary to prevent sticking—this is a soft, wet dough. Cut into as many doughnuts and holes as possible, dipping the cutter into flour before each cut. Fold and gently reroll the dough to make extra holes (working with floured hands makes the dough less sticky), and cut again. (Note: Because this is such a soft dough, you may find it easier to cut just a few doughnuts at a time, right before you add them to the oil, instead of cutting them all out ahead of time. Transferring them is easiest with a flat metal spatula.)
- Shake any excess flour off the doughnuts before carefully adding them to the hot oil a few at a time, taking care not to crowd them. Once the doughnuts float, fry for about 60 seconds per side, or until deep golden brown on both sides. (You’ll know they’re ready to turn the first time when you see the golden brown color creeping up from the bottom of the doughnut.) Drain on paper towels/absorbent paper.
- When the doughnuts have cooled completely, dip one side of each into the warm Spiced Chai Icing. (for icing tips.) Let dry on cooling racks, iced side up, until the icing is firm, about 15 minutes.
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