Jersey Wonders Des Mervelles Aka Doughnuts Donuts Recipes

JELLY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the milk until it is warm but not hot, about 90 degrees. In a large bowl, combine it with the yeast. Stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat the eggs, butter, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons), and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is too wet. If you're using an electric mixer, the dough will probably become too thick to beat; when it does, transfer it to a floured surface, and gently knead it until smooth. Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out the doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, concentric cookie cutters or a drinking glass and a shot glass (the larger one should be about 3 inches in diameter), flouring the cutters as you go. Reserve the doughnut holes. If you're making filled doughnuts, don't cut out the middle. Knead any scraps together, being careful not to overwork, and let rest for a few minutes before repeating the process.
• Put the doughnuts on two floured baking sheets so that there is plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes. If your kitchen isn't warm, heat the oven to 200 at the beginning of this step, then turn off the heat, put the baking sheets in the oven and leave the door ajar.
• About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375. Meanwhile, line cooling racks, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
• Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time. If they're too delicate to pick up with your fingers (they may be this way only if you rose them in the oven), use a metal spatula to pick them up and slide them into the oil. It's O.K. if they deflate a bit; they'll puff back up as they fry. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a slotted spoon to flip; cook until they're deep golden all over. Doughnut holes cook faster. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375. Glaze or fill as follows, and serve as soon as possible.
• When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle but still warm, roll them around in a shallow bowl of granulated sugar to coat. Fill with your favorite jelly.

OLD-FASHIONED CAKE DOUGHNUTS (DONUTS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix the sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
• Add eggs, milk and melted butter. Beat well.
• Add 3 cups of the flour, beating until blended. Add one more cup of flour and beat well. The dough should be soft and sticky but firm enough to handle. If you feel its necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more flour.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill for *at* *least* one hour.
• Remove your dough from the fridge and begin heating about 1" of oil to 360F in a large metal skillet.
• Working half the dough at a time, roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/2" thickness. Cut out circles using a doughnut cutter or large biscuit or cookie cutter. For the center, I actually use the cap off my martini shaker ;) to cut the holes.
• Gently drop the doughnuts in batches into the hot oil. Flip them over as they puff and turn them a couple more times as they cook. They will take about 2-3 minutes in total and will be lovely and golden brown all over.
• Remove from the oil and set them on paper towels or brown paper bag (that removes all the fat, you know).
• Douse them with sugar and cinnamon, icing, chocolate dipped with sprinkles or whatever you like.

DU JOUR DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Oil a large bowl. Combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Turn mixer to speed 1 and stir the ingredients together. Add the eggs and continue to mix on speed 1, scraping bowl and dough hook as necessary, until dough forms, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to 2, then add the butter in 3 additions, making sure butter is completely emulsified before adding more and scraping the bowl and dough hook as necessary, about 10 minutes total. The dough should be smooth and stretchy. Place finished dough in the prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and use a floured rolling pin to roll it to a 1/2-inch thickness. Using a round doughnut or cookie cutter, cut out 4-inch diameter rounds with 1-inch-diameter holes. Arrange the doughnuts on the prepared baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature until visibly puffy and airy, about 1 hour.
• Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and place the remaining 2 cups of sugar in a shallow bowl. In a heavy-bottom large pot or deep fryer, heat at least 2 inches of oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. Working in batches, use a slotted metal spoon or spatula to carefully place the doughnuts and holes in the hot oil. Fry, flipping once, until light golden brown, about 1 minute per side. When done, transfer each to the wire rack and return oil to 350 degrees between batches. While still warm, roll doughnuts and holes in sugar and serve immediately.

JELLY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a bread machine pan add the milk, water, beaten egg, melted butter, sugar, bread flour, salt, nutmeg, and yeast in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set machine to the sweet dough cycle (see Editor's Note for using your stand mixer).
• Once the dough cycle is completed, turn the dough out onto a floured board and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll the dough out to a 1/4-inch thickness. With a floured cookie cutter, cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds.
• Place 1/2 teaspoon jam or jelly in center of half of the rounds. Moisten edges with cold water; top with the remaining rounds, pinching edges together firmly. Place the sealed doughnuts on an greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled in a warm place, about 45 minutes.
• Heat oil in deep fryer to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry one layer of doughnuts at a time. Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oil, being careful not to poke doughnuts. Drain onto paper towels and toss with sugar, if desired.

JERSEY WONDERS (DES MERVELLES), AKA DOUGHNUTS / DONUTS

Steps:

• Sieve flour and sugar and rub in butter, chopped into small pieces. Add whisked eggs to make a light dough.
• With floured hands make the dough into golf ball sized shapes. Place these on a lightly floured tray and cover with a damp cloth for two hours.
• Then roll out each of the balls into oblongs two inches x four inches.
• With a sharp knife slit the centre of each oblong and twist the top end (of the oblong) through the slit.
• Drop four to six Wonders at a time into a large pan of hot oil, cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
• Drain on kitchen paper.
• Preparation time includes 2 hours resting.