Doughnuts - the OTHER Comfort Food!

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So, my daughter and I made corn dogs at home. Yep! from scratch! (not the hot dogs, though... there's a limit - even for me!) Perhaps I'll write about that in another post. Then why do I mention them, you might ask? Well, I had this pot of oil sitting on my stove top - and my mother did raise me well - I just could not toss all that barely used oil out. So then... What else can I fry??  

A quick shuffle through my newly arrived package from Amazon, uncovered "Hand Forged Doughnuts" from Top Pot Doughnut shop in Seattle. (Since my oldest daughter has moved there, I confess that I have developed a soft spot for the city.) So, my youngest daughter, who's not so little anymore (high school senior -ughhh!) rolled up her sleeves and along with a friend (and under my supervision) measured ingredients, mixed up the fragrant dough and we set it to rise.

The recipe calls for ground mace, which is the webbing that grows over nutmeg. Since we did not have it on hand, I figured that nutmeg was a close enough substitute. The process was surprisingly quick and the results pretty delicious!

However, just like Russian Babushka nesting dolls, I used the left over oil from the corn dogs, but now I had 3 egg whites with no recipe to call home. Quick Pintrest search to the rescue! Voila! Nutella Meringue cookies!

See? Miracle of miracles! 2 recipes in one post!!

Top Pot Raised Glazed Doughnuts

Adapted from DinnerDelish.com

  • 3 Tbs (4 1/4oz packets) active dry yeast
  • 1 cup very warm water (about 105)
  • 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 Tbsp
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground mace (or nutmeg)
  • 2 tsp iodized salt
  • 4 - 4.5 cups bread flour
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • canola oil, for frying

Vanilla Glaze

(Prep during the 2nd rise):

  • 3.5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted (measure first, then sift)
  • 1.5 tsp light corn syrup
  • 1/4 tsp iodized salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup hot water, plus more if needed

Doughnut Directions:

  1. Whisk yeast, water, and 1 tbsp of sugar in work bowl of stand mixer and set aside for 5 minutes
  2. In large bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, mace, salt and 4 cups of bread flour
  3. Add shortening, egg yolks and vanilla to the foaming yeast mixture. Mix with paddle attachment on low for 1 minute to break up shortening. Add about 1/3rd of dry ingredients and mix until blended on low speed, then repeat with second 1/3rd of the dry ingredients
  4. 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 clan 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)
  5. Transfer dough to a baking sheet sprinkled with 1 tbsp flour. Shape into a flat disk 6 inches in diameter and dust lightly with flour and cover with a dish towel and set aside.
  6. Create a proofing box in your oven. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil, pour water into a 9x13 dish set on the floor of your oven. Place sheet tray with covered dough in the middle rack. Close the door and let rise until doubled - about an hour.
  7. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and roll into a roughly 12 inch circle, about 1/2 inch thick with lightly floured rolling pin. Cut into 12 doughnuts and transfer doughnuts to baking sheets arranging them 2 inches apart and let rise in the oven (with new boiling water) uncovered for another 30 to 45 minutes until doubled in size.
  8. Using a candy thermometer to measure the temperature, heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot over medium heat to 350 degrees. When the doughnuts have doubled, carefully place a few in the oil, taking care not to overcrowd them, and fry for a bout 30 seconds. (Note that the doughnuts will look more brown when they're done than they do in the oil). Carefully turn the doughnuts and fry for another 20 to 30 seconds until golden. Transfer to a cooling rack set over a layer of paper towels to cool.
  9. While doughnuts are very warm, dip the rounded side of each into the glaze. Let dry on cooling racks for 10-15 minutes.

Vanilla Glaze directions:

  1. Place confectioners sugar, corn syrup salt, vanilla and hot water in a large mixing bowl. Using a whisk, blend until mixture is smooth and all of the sugar is incorporated. If glaze is too thick, add more hot water a teaspoon at a time.

Nutella Meringues

From CookiesandBiscuits.com Makes : 15 to 20 meringues (depends on how big you make them)

Ingredients

  • 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • a pinch of cream of tartar
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon, granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup Nutella

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Make sure you have one oven rack in the bottom third of your oven and one in the upper third of your oven.
  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Set up a double boiler (a pot with another pot on top or a heat-proof bowl on top) and put the Nutella in the top of the double boiler. Warm the Nutella through and then set aside while you make the meringue. (You could warm the Nutella in a microwave but I don’t own one so you’re on your own if you do use one.) Let the Nutella cool as you make the meringue.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, place the egg whites. Beat on medium-high speed until they are completely foamy.
  • Add the cream of tartar and the salt and continue whipping at medium-high speed until when you lift the whisk attachment, soft peaks form. This should take a few minutes.
  • Once you have reached the soft peak stage, increase the speed to high and begin adding the sugar a few spoonfuls at a time (this should take a few minutes).
  • Once all the sugar is in, the meringue should be very thick (almost stiff) and when you left the whisk firm peaks should remain.
  • Remove the bowl from the mixer and drop in all the Nutella. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the Nutella into the meringue three or four times. You’re aiming for a swirled effect so don’t overmix. This will also help avoid deflating the meringue.
  • Using two spoons, drop the meringue onto the parchment-lined baking sheets in large dollops.
  • Place in the oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, immediately lower the heat to 200 degrees F. and rotate the trays. Bake for an hour.
  • After an hour, check the meringues. If they are completely dried out then turn the oven off and leave the meringues in the oven for a few hours to cool with the oven. If the meringues still look a bit “wet”, then continue baking for another 20 minutes or so. Either way, once fully baked, turn off the oven and leave the meringues in there for a few hours.
  • When you remove the meringues from the oven they should be completely dry and cool and will sound hollow when you tap the bottoms.
  • The meringues will keep in an airtight container for a week.