I love these donuts. My mom used to make them for us on cold winter nights. Tonight it was sorta cold which seemed like a good occassion to break out this recipe again. Plus my mom is visiting and it’s fun to cook with her.
First we fried a potato in the oil to remove some of the smell from when we fried Pioneer Woman’s onion straws the other day. [yummy!] Doesn’t this fried potato look delicious? We even salted it in case someone wanted to eat it. Knowing how much I love fried food, that will probably be me. My husband says I would eat a deep fried butter stick if I could make one. He is probably right.
it worked, too
And while we are looking at the picture of the fryer, can I just say I LOVE this appliance? We have only had it for a few weeks, but it has made my life so happy. I can fry all sorts of things without making my kitchen nasty, PLUS I don’t have to mess with an annoying candy thermometer to figure out the temp (or worse yet, burn a bunch of food trying to guess at the temp.)
I used my Great Grandma Gertie’s donut cutter.
Using my ancestors' tools makes me feel connected to my past. Is that cheesy?
I don’t have time to waste cleaning up before I start cooking the next thing.
mmm, dishwater.
Rolled in cinnamon sugar. All they need. Plain is also good.
fried & ready to eat. Notice the Sweet Nectar of Life in the pic, too.
As we were finishing up the process, my mom & I realized we have no idea how these will taste in the morning. I don’t think we ever made a batch that lasted long enough to even cool off. They are just that good. Plus, even if they weren’t, with 6 kids in the house, it would hardly matter.
Recipe from Betty Crocker Cookbook, 1969 ed.
Favorite Donuts
Tender and light–a favorite with everyone. And don’t forget to fry the “holes” as a special treat for the children. [children-schmildlren...I ate 'em all.]
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg [THE essential ingredient for flavor, IMO.]
2 tablespoons of shortening [no, I don't know a substitute. Just go buy some Crisco already.]
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
Heat fat or oil (3 to 4 inches) to 375° in deep fat fryer or kettle. Measure 1 1/2 cups flour and the remaining ingredients into large mixer bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour
Turn dough onto well-floured cloth-covered board; roll around lightly to coat with flour. Roll dough gently to 3/8″ thick. Cut with floured doughnut cutter
With wide spatula, slide doughnuts into hot fat. [doesn't that just sound yummy? hot fat?] Turn doughnuts as they rise to surface.* Fry 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Carefully remove from fat; to not prick the surface. Drain. Serve plain, sugared, or frosted.
*while we were making these tonight, mom mom told me that when she was in the hospital after giving birth to one of my brothers, she roomed with a girl whose family owned the doughnut shop in town. She heard them talking about how they turned the donuts twice during frying because they thought it helped them rise more. Who knows. I just thought it was interesting and entertaining to picture my postpartum mom laying there in bed, eavesdropping on donut makers’ conversations about their craft.
