Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts - Mark Klebeck [39]
TOPPING
2 cups/400 g sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Vegetable oil spray
1/4 cup/55 g unsalted butter, melted
TIME
1 hour active time.
EQUIPMENT
Doughnut cutter (or 23/4 in/7 cm and 11/4 in/3 cm round cutters)
* * *
- To make the doughnut dough: 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 hook and add the remaining dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until no white spots remain each time, adding additional flour, as necessary, until the dough is dry enough to clean the bottom of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 2 more minutes. (It should be smooth like bread dough, but still a bit tacky.)
- Transfer the dough to a baking sheet/tray sprinkled with 1 tbsp flour, shape into a flat disk 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.
- 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 doughnuts, flouring the cutter before each cut. (Reroll the dough for additional doughnuts.) Gently transfer the doughnuts (and holes) to two or three clean baking sheets/trays, 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.
- Meanwhile, make the topping: Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. When hot, spray the tops of the doughnuts with vegetable oil spray. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are lightly toasted, rotating the pans halfway through.
- While the doughnuts are still warm, brush with the melted butter on all sides, then toss them in the cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately.
GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE DOUGHNUTS
MAKES ONE DOZEN when rerolled, plus a few holes
ALTHOUGH WE DON’T SERVE GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS IN OUR CAFES, we feel that everyone deserves a good doughnut—even those with dietary restrictions. This version, made with an all-purpose gluten-free baking mix sold in the baking aisle of many large supermarkets, yields deeply chocolaty doughnuts that roll out easily.
For glazing or icing recipes, and for resources for gluten-free flours and xanthan gum, a fine powder that gives baked goods a texture more similar to those made with gluten.
* * *
13/4 cups/220 g gluten-free all-purpose baking flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill), plus more for rolling and cutting
1/2 cup/50 g unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp iodized salt
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup/100 g sugar
2 tbsp shortening/vegetable lard, trans-fat-free preferred
3 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup/165 ml whole milk
Canola oil, for frying
TIME
1 hour active time, plus glazing or icing
EQUIPMENT
Doughnut cutter (or 23/4 in/7 cm and 11/4 in/3 cm round cutters)
* * *
- Sift the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, 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