Doughnuts: Part 2

As promised, today I deliver to you 3 more doughnut recipes! I hope you’ve had time to try last week’s recipes, but if not, here is your chance to be inspired. The spring-like weather alone is so inspirational. I feel like I could clean my entire home! Well, that was a motivational thought… now back to reality.

I also wanted to take this time to quickly talk about frying your donuts in oil. Hot oil can start fires, it can burn you very quickly, causing serious life-threatening damage. I would suggest you refresh yourself on how to put out an oil fire BEFORE beginning to fry your donuts. Check out this Youtube video on putting out grease fires.

Pay attention

Oil and grease give you indications that they are nearing a flammability point: smoke will begin to rise, your thermometer temperature will indicate flammability. Keep the area around the pot clean and free of oil spills. Incase you’re far too busy to watch the above video, remember these kitchen items and HAVE THEM READY, just in case:

• 1 cup of SALT will put out a medium fire, and for goodness sake don’t be Dutch and skimp, you could burn your house down. Dump that salt on!
• A small box of baking soda will put out a small fire.

DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING:

• NO WATER! Oil and water don’t mix and it could spread it.
• NO FLOUR, flour is extremely flammable.
• NO BAKING SODA, baking soda is extremely flammable.
• NO SUGAR, it can cause the fire to spread.
• A wet towel can tip over the pan or cause the fire to flare up!

How to choose the best oil

The Food Guy blog has some good advice when choosing the best oil for frying. Keep these tips in mind:

• neutral in flavor
• your oil should be able to reach the temperature of 345–390 degrees Fahrenheit without smoking- SMOKING OIL MEANS FIRE!
• make sure your choice of oil has a smoke point of 400 degrees Fahrenheit
• do not pick an expensive oil

You should give your oil a taste. Simply take a teaspoon and dab it into the oil and give it a taste. The taste should be smooth and impart no strong flavor. You want your oil to taste neutral. You may have to taste a few.

The smoke point really has nothing to do with the oils ability to fry your donuts, it just means that you will be able to use the oil more than once. But like all oils, it will eventually need to be replaced.

Frying donuts requires a great deal of oil, therefore you don’t want to use an expensive oil. The Food Guy highly recommends Canola Oil in its refined form. Unrefined Canola Oil is expensive, has a LOW smoke point, darker in color, and expensive.

Filled Doughnuts- Mrs. E. Sundin of Minnesota

Sift together:

• 5 3/4 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Add gradually:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, well beaten; mix

Blend in:

• 1 1/4 cups sour milk- if you don’t know how to do that read this article,
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 teaspoons vinegar

Add dry ingredients; blend

Roll 1/4 inch thick

Place filling on cut circles

Fold dough on cut circles; seal edges

Fry in deep fat 350°. Drain on paper. Makes 2 dozen.

Cream Doughnuts- Elsie Tipping, New Jersey

Sift together:

• 2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Add….. 1/2 cup sugar to 4 egg yolks beaten

Stir in ….. 1/2 cup thick cream

Add dry ingredients to cream mixture.

Roll 1/4 inch thick on floured board.

Fry in deep fat at 375 °, about 5 minutes.

Turn only once. Drain on paper, makes about 2 dozen.

Top with chocolate frosting, nuts.

Banana Doughnuts- Mrs. R. L. Pease, Nebraska

Sift together:

• 5 cups flour, sifted
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Add … 3 eggs well beaten to 1/4 cups shortening, creamed

Blend with shortening mixture:

• 2 medium bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup sour milk-if you don’t know how to do that read this article, https://www.gimmetasty.com/how-to-make-sour-milk/
• 1/1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Add dry ingredients and mix well.

Knead lightly on floured board.

Roll 1/2 inch thick. Cut.

Fry in deep fat at 375°, about 3 minutes.

Turn only once. Drain on paper, makes about 3 dozen.

Enjoy these great recipes! But if all else fails, don’t try reinvent the wheel and scoot on down to your local bakery! They are the professionals! Until next time friends, here is to good food, good friends and a good life.

Resources:

• 1949 October issue Successful Farming
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqyLNRTvtpg
• https://foodsguy.com/best-oil-for-frying-donuts/
• https://www.gimmetasty.com/how-to-make-sour-milk/