November 5: Doughnuts

November 5 was National Doughnut Day. I was slightly intimidated by this one because I wasn't quite sure that I would be able to replicate the cloud-like quality that most good doughnuts possess. As I often do when presented with a culinary quandary, I consulted one of my favorite websites, Foodgawker. My original idea was to make an autumnal pumpkin delight, but after perusing through mouth watering pictures of past successes, I stumbled upon this blog post that discussed its experience with the birth of its own doughnuts. I really liked the idea of making baked doughnuts because the whole fried doughnut thing doesn't happen for me very often (I spend most of my days in a Nutrition classroom), save for the Krispy Kreme Challenge. I think I made a fantastic decision...these could rival most fried counterparts.

I only made a quarter recipe, but they were gone fast! The dough was a lot thicker than any that I normally deal with, so I was a bit worried, but fret not! They turned out perfectly.

4 C flour

1 C milk

1 T butter

1/4 C sugar

1 1/2 t active dry yeast

1/2 t cinnamon

Mix flour, sugar, yeast, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Separately, heat milk and melt butter together until the mixture is warm to the touch. Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in. Mix well and then knead for 10 minutes. The dough will be very stiff and dry, but as long as you can make it hold together, it will probably be ok. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

After the dough has risen, punch it down. Knead it back onto a flat surface. Roll out until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes as you like. I decided to give my more neglected cutters a spin. Cover and let rise for 30 more minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F. After the dough has gone through its second rise, put them in the oven for about 8-10 minutes.

After they come out, dip them in melted butter and then into a cinnamon/sugar mixture. Add as much sugar as fits your fancy, but I found that the amount I added was candidate for instant diabetes (the dough itself has sufficient flavor).

After shaking off some of the excess sugar, these doughnuts were perfect for my taste. They were light and airy and had enough butter flavor that you would never miss its fried twin. These doughnuts gave me the nostalgic feeling of sitting in front of the fireplace with my family on Christmas morning, stocking in hand, scarfing down Monkey Bread. With a soft and light, yet somehow dense texture, just the right amount of sweetness, butter and cinnamon-y spice, these doughnuts could satisfy a craving for both a doughnut and a cinnamon roll in one healthier-than-it-could-be bundle.

I highly suggest testing this recipe out yourself if you too have a doughnut craving that you can't kick. I mean, LOOK AT THAT CRUMB STRUCTURE!