Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts - Mark Klebeck [21]
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- First, make the doughnut dough: Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg 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 yolks one at a time, 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. Mix in the vanilla.
- 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 sticky, like cookie/biscuit dough.
- Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap/cling film, for 45 minutes (or up to 24 hours).
- Make the topping: Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a large bowl and 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. (For frying tips.) Roll out chilled dough on a counter or cutting board sprinkled with 2 to 3 tbsp flour to 1/2 in/12mm thick, or about 8 in/20 cm in diameter, flouring the top of the dough and the rolling pin 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.
- 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—you won’t be able to see when the doughnuts brown because of the chocolate, but you’ll see a change in texture. Drain briefly on paper towels/absorbent paper.
- As soon as you can touch the doughnuts comfortably, toss them in the cinnamon sugar, coating them on all sides. Eat warm.
CHOCOLATE-CHILI CAKE DOUGHNUTS
MAKES ONE DOZEN doughnuts and holes
MADE WITH CHOCOLATE, CHILI, CINNAMON, AND PEANUTS, THESE MOLE-INSPIRED doughnuts are a departure from our classics. Adjust the amount of chili powder according to your taste preferences—but note that these doughnuts are less spicy when they’ve cooled than they are when still a bit warm, so spice them according to when you’ll eat them. Sweet, spicy, and salty, they’re delicious with a glass of horchata.
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CHOCOLATE-CHILI DOUGHNUTS
2 cups/225 g cake/soft-wheat flour, plus more for rolling and cutting
1/2 cup/50 g unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp iodized salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup/100 g sugar
2 tbsp shortening/vegetable lard, trans-fat-free preferred
2 large egg yolks
2/3 cup/165 ml whole milk
Canola oil, for frying
CHOCOLATE-CHILI ICING
31/2 cups/350 g confectioners’/ icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
112 tsp light corn/golden syrup
1/4 tsp iodized salt
1 tsp chili powder, plus more if desired
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup/75 ml hot water
11/2 cups/200 g finely chopped salted peanuts
TIME
1 hour 10 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, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and chili powder 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 yolks one at a time, 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