Fried Sweet Dough Recipes

FRIED DOUGH | THE BEST HOMEMADE FRIED DOUGH RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• Add milk and melted butter. Mix with a fork, then transfer to a board and knead with hands for 2 minutes.
• Form a ball and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
• Divide into 8 pieces and roll to 3/8" thick.
• Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep pan to 375°F (180°C) over medium heat.
• Carefully lower the rolled dough into the pan - fry the dough in batches, do not overcrowd the pan.
• Let it cook for 1 minute, then flip over and cook 1 more minute on the other side.
• Top with powdered sugar and enjoy!

BASIC SWEET-ROLL DOUGH

Steps:

• Warm 1/2 cup water and the milk in a saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 degrees F to 110 degrees F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast on top, then sprinkle with a pinch of the sugar; set aside, undisturbed, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center, then add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.
• Brush a large bowl with butter. Add the dough, turning to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; re-form into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it directly on the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

SWEET DOUGH FOR PIES

Steps:

• To mix the dough by hand, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium
• mixing bowl and stir well to mix. Cut butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and add to dry ingredients. Toss once or twice to coat pieces of butter. Then using your hands or a pastry blender, break the butter into tiny pieces and pinch and squeeze it into the dry ingredients. Occasionally reach down to the bottom of the bowl and mix all the ingredients evenly together. Continue rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse ground corn meal and no large pieces of butter remain visible.
• Beat the egg(s) in a small bowl and pour over the flour and butter mixture. Stir in with a fork until the dough begins to hold together, but still appears somewhat dry. Scatter a teaspoon of flour on the work surface and scrape the dough out onto it. Press and knead the dough quickly 3 or 4 times, until it is smooth and uniform.
• To mix the dough in the food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in work bowl fitted with metal blade. Pulse 3 times at 1second intervals to mix. Cut butter into 1tablespoon pieces and add to work bowl. Process, pulsing repeatedly at 1second intervals, until the mixture is fine and powdery, resembles a coarse ground cornmeal and no large pieces of butter remain visible, about 15 pulses in all.
• Add the egg(s) to the work bowl and pulse ten times or so, until the dough forms a ball.
• Scatter a teaspoon of flour on the work surface and scrape the dough out onto it. Press and knead the dough quickly 3 or 4 times, until it is smooth and uniform.
• Press the dough into a disk (two equal disks for the larger amount of dough). Sandwich the disk(s) of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and press it into a 6 inch circle. Refrigerate the dough until firm, or until you are ready to use it, at least 1 hour.
• Storage: Keep the dough in the refrigerator up to two days, or freeze it doublewrapped in plastic. Because the dough is thin, it will defrost quickly at room temperature when you intend to use it.
• Variations:
• SPICE CRUST:
• Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon each freshly grated nutmeg and ground cloves to the dry ingredients before mixing in the butter. Double the quantities for the 2 crust recipe.
• COCOA DOUGH:
• Add 2 tablespoons sifted non alkalized cocoa powder to the dry ingredients before mixing in the butter. Double the quantities for the 2 crust recipe. If the dough seems dry after adding egg(s), add a teaspoon or two of water, no more.

FRIED SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a wide saucepan to 350 degrees F. (The oil should be an inch or two deep.)
• For the filling: Whisk together the ricotta, mascarpone, amaretto, and confectioners' sugar in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the candied peel and chocolate. Refrigerate the filling while you make the zeppole.
• Combine 1 cup water, the butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to melt the butter. While stirring, add the flour and zest all at once. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough dries out and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat, and add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously to incorporate one before adding the next, until the dough is completely smooth.
• Drop a batch of zeppole in 2-tablespoon dollops (a small ice-cream scoop is perfect for this) into the oil, making sure you don't crowd them in the pan, because they will grow in size. Fry the zeppole, turning on all sides, until light and golden brown all over, about 5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels, and repeat with the remaining dough.
• To serve, when cold cut the zeppole in half with a serrated knife and with a pastry bag pipe the filling onto the bottom half. Cover and dust with additional confectioners' sugar if desired.

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• Scald milk in a medium saucepan. Add cold water to scalded milk. Remove 1/4 cup liquid; mix yeast into liquid when cooled to lukewarm. To liquid in saucepan, add salt, sugar, shortening, and eggs. Add dissolved yeast to saucepan. Mix well.
• Sift and measure the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and pour the liquids into the well. Stir with a large wooden spoon until liquid disappears.
• With one hand, mix dough in bowl using swinging rotary motion. Gradually form dough into smooth ball, then knead in bowl for 2 minutes. Brush top with melted shortening. Cover, and allow dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Punch down dough. Use dough for any sweet bread recipe.

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat milk, butter and water to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add egg and remaining flour; beat until smooth. Shape into a ball. Do not knead. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Use for Braided Coffee Cake or Coffee Cake Ring.

FRIED SWEET DOUGH BALLS WITH HONEY

Steps:

• Pulse together the flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, the lemon zest, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor. Whisk together the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the food processor with the motor running, and then drop in the butter pieces. Process until a smooth dough forms, about 30 seconds. Knead the dough on the counter a few times, then wrap in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Make the syrup: Combine the honey, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup water in a medium skillet over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook until syrupy, about 6 to 7 minutes.
• In the meantime, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a pot or straight-sided skillet to about 365 degrees F, or until a piece of dough sizzles on contact. Pinch off a golf-ball-sized piece of dough, and roll into a rope about 1/2 inch wide. Cut the rope of dough into pieces the size of a hazelnut and roll into balls. Repeat until all the dough is used.
• Fry the struffoli in batches until puffed and deep golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining struffoli.
• Toss the struffoli in the hot honey syrup, in batches, as many at a time as you can fit without crowding. Roll the struffoli in the syrup until well coated, then scoop them up with a slotted spoon or strainer, and drain off the excess syrup. Stack the struffoli in layers on a plate to form a cone, sprinkling each layer with the sprinkles as you stack. Repeat until all the struffoli are coated in the honey syrup and covered in sprinkles. Drizzle the completed stack of struffoli with any remaining syrup, if you wish.

FRIED SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add peeled sweet potatoes, and boil for about 4 minutes. Remove from water, and cut into 1/2 inch slices.
• Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved, adding more butter if necessary. Add sweet potatoes, and fry until golden brown and fork tender, turning occasionally. Serve hot.

FRIED SWEET POTATO PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, salt and pepper.
• Put them on a baking sheet and roast until tender about 1-1/2 hours.
• Remove from oven and let cool completely.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and 2 tsp sugar.
• Add the shortening and work it with your hands until the mixture resembles course crumbs.
• Add the ice water, 1 tbsp at a time.
• Add only as much as you need to make a smooth ball.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
• Roll out into a rectangle about 24x8 inches and about 1/8" thick.
• With a sharp knife, cut 12 4-inch squares.
• Peel the potatoes and put the flesh in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the egg yolk, cane syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and a splash of bourbon and mix well.
• Place about 1/4 cup of the filling into the center of each pastry square.
• Fold one corner to the opposite corner to form a triangle.
• Using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges to seal.
• Heat 4" of oil in a large heavy pot or electric fryer to 360°F.
• Fry the pies 2 or 3 at a time until golden brown, turning them once.
• Remove the pies and drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp of sugar.
• Combine the powdered sugar, milk and remaining splash of bourbon in a medium mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
• Drizzle over the hot pies and serve immediately.

FRIED DOUGH

Steps:

• Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Blend in shortening with pastry blender. Stir in milk with a fork until soft dough is formed.
• On lightly floured surface, knead dough 2 or 3 times. Cut into fourths, form each piece into a circle. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness.
• Place two at a time into the deep fat fryer, turning to brown evenly on both sides. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.