Daring Bakers: Doughnuts
27 Oct
The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.
Doughnuts are one of the things I’ve always wanted to try making at home, but have never gotten around to. (I believe they were in my so-far abandoned 101 in 1001 list.) So, I was super-excited, and maybe a little scared, by this month’s Daring Bakers challenge.
I decided to use a cake doughnut recipe, though I would love to try yeasted doughnuts in the near future.
One of my most recent kitchen purchases was two sets of pastry cutters, in various sizes, which worked out perfectly for cutting the larger doughnuts and doughnut holes. For the mini doughnuts, I used one of the smaller pastry cutters, and punched a hole in the middle with the end of a large spoon, because I’m classy like that.
The hardest part of making the doughnuts was keeping the frying oil at a steady temperature. It often got too hot, and the outside of the doughnuts would get hard and crispy before the inside would have a chance to cook thoroughly. It was particularly hard keeping an eye on the temperature while doing everything else in the kitchen, so it’s nice to have a helper sometimes. (In this case, my husband.)
I ended up coating the entire batch in cinnamon sugar. I’ve never been a fan of glazed or iced doughnuts for some reason. I think iced doughnuts (with sprinkles!) are adorable, but I’ve never met an icing I liked. (Unless, of course, it’s flavored. Like maple. Which would have been fantastic here.)
And now the obligatory “I’m a terrible blogger” speech… I haven’t found a lot of time to bake, outside of school and work. Also, my (other) laptop has been mostly useless for weeks now, and this one (a netbook) can’t handle much photo editing. The first photo and the one below were my husband’s handiwork, while the rest aren’t edited at all.
And, yes… Doughnuts make me very happy.
I love freshly made homemade doughnuts. Yours came out so perfect! Mine usually end up a little stretched and misshapen.
Megan´s last blog ..Foundry On Elm Grand Opening Party
Haha, my first few were a bit more oblong than round. I don’t know if there is a “first doughnut” rule, like the “first pancake” rule.
Those doughnuts look awesome. I’ve never gotten around to making them, really want to. But the neighbourhood bakery has such awesome ones, I tend to not bother. I love simple doughnuts too, glazes are justtoo sweet
Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes)´s last blog ..Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes
They look fabulous! And, can I say, your photography looks amazing as well!
Super delish looking donuts, donuts like yours would make everybody happy
Zita´s last blog ..Lemon Doughnuts with Cheese Orange Pastry Cream
DONUTS. Also make me happy
Especially yours. And I definitely recommend the yeast donuts – really, make them, they will change your life forever.
Katya´s last blog ..Daring Bakers Challenge: Donuts
Thanks! I don’t think I’ve ever had homemade yeast doughnuts. I like them from bakeries, though… so I have high hopes.
Your doughnuts look PERFECT!
Mandee´s last blog ..The award for Most Used Cookbook goes to…
Great looking doughnuts! Your pictures are making me salivate for doughnuts all over again
Laura´s last blog ..Daring Bakers October 10: Doughnuts
Love that photo of the doughnut frying, and that last photo is adorable. Well done on this challenge. Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.
Audax Artifex´s last blog ..October 2010 Daring Bakers’ Challenge Doughnuts
omg, delicious looking… With the cinnamon sugar, it reminds me of those mini donuts that I *love* to eat at the fair during the summer <3 Good memories there! Nom nom nom!
Michelle´s last blog ..Food for thought
the pictures are amazing and your cake dounuts look so good, mine were a flop, they didnt raise at all.
Nice work there
Nadia´s last blog ..Do Doughnuts with Daring Bakers!
Oh my Buddha-belly, those look beyond delicious. All glazy and powdery. I don’t care if those are proper taster notes or not. Grammar escapes me in the presence of doughnut excellence!