To Fry or Not to Fry

Until a couple of weeks ago, I had a strict no-fry policy. I’m not a huge fan of most fried foods (with a few exceptions, of course) and was somewhat intimidated by the thought of a pot of hot oil sitting on my gas stove waiting to catch on fire.  Plus there’s the smell; heating large quantities of oil leaves your house/apartment smelling like oil for days.

Nope, frying was just not my thing.

Then about a month ago, I was browsing through Smitten Kitchen (I think as the kickoff to my Thanksgiving recipe search) and came across her recipe for what has to be one of my favorite fall treats: apple cider doughnuts.  Soft and lightly apple-flavored with hints of cinnamon, these delicious doughnuts are not that easy to come by. The only places I’ve ever seen them are apple orchards.  The recipe seemed easy enough—with the exception of the frying part. So I thought about it for a week or two and decided to give it a try.

It was not nearly as intimidating as I had made it out to be (although there definitely was a smell that lingered a day or two). The key is having an accurate candy thermometer. Mine ran cold and so when I put the first doughnut in, it got really brown really fast due to the overly hot oil.

SK’s recipe was pretty true to what I remembered from apple cider doughnuts past—though I did wish that the apple flavor had been just a tad bit more pronounced. Either way it was a fun way to spend Halloween afternoon and may become an annual autumn event.

Apple Cider Doughnuts
From Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 cup apple cider
3 ½ cups flour, plus additional for work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon plus 1 ½ TBL cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
4 TBL butter, room temperature
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup buttermilk
A ton of vegetable oil (for frying)

1.In a saucepan set over medium-low heat, gently reduce apple cider to about ¼ cup (about 20-25 minutes). Set aside to cool.
2.Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
3.Using an electric (or stand) mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until mixture is smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until completely incorporated.
4.Reduce the speed to low and slowly add reduced apple cider and buttermilk. Mix until just combine. Add flour mixture (in a few batches to prevent flour from going everywhere!) and continue to mix until dough comes together.
5.Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour. Turn dough onto one of the sheets and sprinkle top with flour. Flatten dough (with your hands) until it is about ½ inch thick. Transfer baking sheet to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Remove.
6.Using a 3-inch round cutter and 1-inch round cutter (for the hole)—cut doughnut shapes. Place the doughnuts and holes on the second sheet pan. Refrigerate the doughnuts for 20-30 minutes.
7.Meanwhile, add enough oil to a deep-sided pan to measure a depth of about 3 inches. Attach a candy thermometer  to the side of the pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Line a plat with several layers of paper towels.
8.In a shallow bowl, mix together remaining sugar and cinnamon.
9.Carefully add two doughnuts to the oil and fry until golden brown (30-60 seconds depending on how hot your oil actually is). Turn and fry the other side (about 30 seconds). Drain on the paper towels for a minute and then dip in cinnamon sugar mixture. Best served warm!