"Time to make the Donuts " Daring Baker's -October

“Between the optimist and the pessimist, the difference is droll. The optimist sees the doughnut; the pessimist the hole!” 

Oscar Wilde 

 

Does anyone out there remember this commercial? It was very popular when I was a teen. I still quote it frequently, when i have to get up early, to go do something I dread. "Time to make the donuts" :)

I was not dreading making donuts. I have never made fried ones, only cake-like muffin ones, and "MOCK"" ones, which i love. (Nigella's mock found here) 

However, i had a terrible time with this recipe. I am assuming it was the bananas. Too much moisture for the batter.  It was so sticky it would not hold to roll, shape. I tried more flour, parchment, and cling wrap. INSTANT DISASTER! 

So i decided , since i already had all the oil heated, I would make banana fritters.

Pumpkin Doughnuts: Original recipe
Banana Fritters ( in red)
 

Preparation time:
Hands on prep time - 15 minutes
Chilling time - 3 hours
Cooking time - 10 minutes

Yield: About 24 doughnuts & 24 doughnut holes

Ingredients
All Purpose Flour 3.5 cup / 840 ml / 490 gm / 17 ¼ oz
Baking Powder 4 teaspoon / 20 ml / 24 gm / .85 oz
Table Salt 1 teaspoon / 5 ml / 6 gm / .2 oz
Cinnamon, ground 1 teaspoon / 5 ml / 6 gm / .2 oz
Ginger, ground ½ teaspoon / 2.5 ml / 3 gm / .1 oz Omitted
Baking Soda ½ teaspoon / 2.5 ml / 3 gm / .1 oz
Nutmeg, ground ¼ teaspoon / 1.25 ml / 1.5 gm / .05 oz omitted
Cloves, ground 1/8 teaspoon / .6 ml / ¾ gm / .025 oz
White Granulated Sugar 1 cup / 240 ml / 225 gm / 8 oz
Butter, Unsalted 3 Tablespoon / 45 ml / 42 gm / 1.5 oz
Egg, Large 1 omitted
Egg Yolk, Large 2
Pure Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon / 5 ml  omitted

I used RUM
Buttermilk ½ cup + 1 Tablespoon / 135 ml /
Pumpkin 1 cup / 240 ml / 285 gm / 10 oz (Canned pure pumpkin or fresh cooked and pureed pumpkin – DON’T use pumpkin pie mix!)

2  small /medium sized ripe bananas.
Canola Oil DEPENDS on size of vessel you are frying in – you want THREE (3) inches of oil (can substitute any flavorless oil used for frying)

Powdered Sugar Glaze:
Powdered (Icing) Sugar 2 cup / 480 ml / 250 gm / 9 oz
Whipping Cream (About 32% butter fat) 4 Tablespoon + more if needed / 60 ml

Directions:

1. Whisk together the first 8 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until blended (the mixture will be grainy and not smooth). Beat in egg, then yolks and vanilla. Gradually beat in buttermilk; beat in pumpkin. Using rubber spatula, fold in dry ingredients in 4 additions, blending gently after each addition. Cover with plastic; chill 3 hours.
2. Sprinkle 2 rimmed baking sheets lightly with flour. Press out 1/3 of dough on floured surface to 1/2- to 2/3-inch (12 mm to 15 mm) thickness. Using 2 1/2-inch (65 mm) -diameter round cutter, cut out dough rounds. Arrange on sheets. Repeat with remaining dough in 2 more batches. Gather dough scraps. Press out dough and cut out more dough rounds until all dough is used.
3. Using 1-inch (25 mm) diameter round cutter, cut out center of each dough round to make doughnuts and doughnut holes.
4.  Line 2 baking sheets with several layers of paper towels. Pour oil into large deep skillet to depth of 1 1/2 inches (40 mm). Attach deep-fry thermometer and heat oil to 365°F to 370°F (185°C to 188°C). Fry doughnut holes in 2 batches until golden brown, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Fry doughnuts, 3 or 4 at a time, The size of one table spoon  for fritters  until golden brown, adjusting heat to maintain temperature, about 1 minute per side. Using slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to paper towels to drain. Cool completely .

I was pleasantly surprised! These were the best tasting, lightest fritters I ever had. The banana flavor was just puuuuuurfect. It was my favorite mistake.

 Next time, the yeast filled. I love a huge filled cream donut. ( besides, the Shop Rite- Jelly Sticks) BTW, I did ask Shop -Rite bakery for the recipe when i was home . However, they would not give it  to me, and i have not seen them in the bakery section in a while :( CURSES!

Blog-checking lines: 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.



looking foward to hosting in January!