O Towner Doughnuts Recipes

CINNAMON-SPICED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Make the Doughnuts: In a small saucepan, warm the milk slightly with 1 teaspoon sugar. Add the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes to proof.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg with the water.
• In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment mix the flour, remaining 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Add the proofed yeast mixture, beaten egg mixture, and melted butter. Remove the paddle, switch to a dough hook, and mix until well-blended and kneaded, about 15 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large greased mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• On a floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thick and transfer to a sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes, allowing the dough to rest.
• Cut dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Line a sheet pan with a buttered sheet of parchment paper. Arrange the dough squares 1/2-inch apart on the sheet pan and cover with another sheet of buttered parchment. Place in a warm place to rise about 30 minutes.
• Make the Coating: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon to coat doughnuts.
• Heat the oil in a large pot to 375 degrees F and fry the doughnuts for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. While doughnuts are still warm, toss them in the cinnamon sugar, to coat.

STRAWBERRY GLAZE FOR DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, jam, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl until well combined and smooth.

CHOCOLATE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine yeast, warm water and sugar to dissolve. Add 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup of the cake flour. Stir and set in a warm place for 30 minutes to foam up. Combine cocoa powder and baking soda and add hot water to dissolve. Add the melted chocolate to the cocoa powder mixture then stir in the powdered sugar, salt, and potato. Add this to the foamed yeast along with another 1/4-cup of all-purpose flour and the remaining 1/4-cup of cake flour and mix on low to combine with a paddle.
• Mix on high speed for 30 seconds to combine. Add the remaining 1/4-cup of all-purpose flour and mix on high speed. Flour the work surface heavily and knead the dough gently (it may be sticky). Turn into a greased bowl and proof until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and punch down then proof for another 30 minutes.
• Flour work surface heavily and pat out dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out doughnuts and holes, flouring the cutter each time, and set on a floured sheet pan. Heat oil to 375 degrees and drop in doughnuts and holes. Cook doughnuts for 45 to 60 seconds and the holes for 30 seconds, flipping once. Drain on a paper towel-lined sheet pan.
• Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Boil the cream and pour it over the chocolate and let sit, whisking to combine. Keep warm. Dip doughnuts in chocolate glaze when cooled.

BANANAS FOSTER DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• For the banana cake doughnuts: Add the cake flour, bread flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon to a fine-mesh sieve and sift over a large bowl. Whisk the bananas and buttermilk together in a small bowl. To the bowl of a stand mixer add the shortening, sugar, salt and vanilla and using the paddle attachment, cream the mixture on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the whole egg, then add and the egg yolk and beat until smooth. Alternate adding the flour mixture and banana mixture in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Generously coat the work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Dust the top of the dough with more flour, then roll the dough into a 1/2-inch thick sheet. Use a 3-inch donut cutter to stamp out circles from the dough. Place the circles on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bring the scraps together, re-roll them into a 1/2-inch thick sheet, and stamp as many circles from the dough as possible (discard the remaining scraps); you should get about 12 donuts.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and set a wire cooling rack on top. Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed frying pan set over medium-high heat; the oil should fill the pot by about 2 inches-if it doesn't, add more. Heat the oil until it reads 375 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Add 2 to 3 doughnuts to the hot oil and cook until the doughnuts are golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer to the cooling rack to drain and cool and repeat with the remaining doughnuts, making sure the temperature of the oil returns to 375 degrees F between batches.
• For the bananas foster: Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add in the brown sugar, cinnamon and the salt stirring until the mixture starts to bubble. Add the bananas and gently stir to coat in the sugar mixture. Continue to cook the bananas until they are warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bananas to a medium plate. Stir the rum and banana liqueur to the skillet and cook until combined, then pour the sauce into a heat-safe mixing bowl. Whisk in 1 cup of confectioners' sugar, and once well combined, begin adding more confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is a medium-thick consistency good for drizzling.
• For serving: Slice the doughnuts three-quarters of the way through horizontally. Stuff the doughnut with a few banana slices. Drizzle the sauce over the top and serve generously dusted with confectioners' sugar.