Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts - Mark Klebeck [28]
- Transfer the dough to a baking sheet/tray sprinkled with 1 tbsp flour, shape into a flat disc 6 in/15 cm in diameter, dust lightly with flour, cover with a dish/tea towel, and set aside.
- Create a proofing box in your oven: Bring a large kettle of water to a boil. Pour 8 cups/2 L of the boiling water into a 9-by-13-in/25-by-35-cm (or similar) baking dish, and set it on the floor of your oven. Place the sheet/tray with the covered dough on the middle rack of the oven, close the door, and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (For tips on making your dough ahead of time.)
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll into a roughly 12 in/30 cm circle, about 1/2 in/12 mm thick, with a lightly floured rolling pin. Cut into 12 rounds, flouring the cutter before each cut, using the big cutter for the out-side ring and the small cutter for the inside ring if you don’t have a doughnut cutter. (Reroll the dough for additional doughnuts.) Gently transfer the doughnuts, keeping the holes intact or placing them back into the centers of the doughnuts, to two baking sheets/trays sprinkled with 2 tbsp flour each, arranging them at least 2 in/5 cm apart, and let rise in the oven (with new boiling water), uncovered, for another 30 to 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
- 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 350°F/180°C. (For frying tips.) When the doughnuts have doubled, carefully place a few in the oil, taking care not to overcrowd them or drop the holes out, and fry for about 30 seconds, or until light golden brown on the bottom. (Note that the doughnuts will look more brown when they’re done than they do in the oil.) Carefully turn the doughnuts and fry another 20 to 30 seconds, until golden on the second side, then transfer to a cooling rack set over a layer of paper towels/absorbent paper to cool, belly button side up.
- While the doughnuts are still very warm, dip the most rounded side of each into the warm glaze. Let dry on cooling racks, glazed side up, for 10 to 15 minutes. (for glazing tips.) Pull out the belly buttons. Fill each hole with 1 tbsp of raspberry jam (we find that a tiny ice cream scoop works well here) and serve.
MAPLE BARS
MAKES ONE DOZEN large rolls
AT SEATTLE’S QWEST FIELD, HOME TO THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, Top Pot sells close to 1,000 doughnuts each game. Half of those are maple bars, he classic monster yeast-raised bars slathered with maple icing. Since the icing works best when the doughnuts are cool but the icing is still warm, make the icing after you’ve fried the doughnuts.
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3 tbsp (four 1/4 oz/7 g packages) active dry yeast
1 cup/240 ml very warm water (about 105°F/40°C)
1/2 cup/100 g sugar, plus 1 tbsp
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground mace
2 tsp iodized salt
4 to 41/2 cups/550 to 620 g bread/strong flour, plus more for rolling and cutting
1/4 cup/55 g shortening/vegetable lard, trans-fat-free preferred
3 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Canola oil, for frying
Maple Icing
TIME
55 minutes active time, plus icing
EQUIPMENT
Pizza cutter
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- Whisk the yeast, water, and 1 tbsp of the sugar together in the work bowl of a stand mixer and set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup/100 g sugar, baking powder, mace, salt, and 4 cups/550 g of the bread/strong flour. Set aside.
- Add the shortening/vegetable lard, egg yolks, and vanilla to the foaming yeast mixture. Mix with the paddle attachment on low speed for 1 minute, to break up the shortening. Add about a third of the dry ingredients and mix until blended on low speed, then repeat with the second third of the dry ingredients.
- Switch to the dough