Sour Cream Old-Fashioned Doughnuts

Sour Cream Old-Fashioned Doughnuts with Vanilla Glaze

Recipe type: Baked Goods

Cuisine: American

Prep / inactive time:  1 hour

Cook / active time:  1 hour

Total time:  2 hours

Serves: 1 dozen doughnuts and holes

 

Don’t call these beauties “donuts”. These hand-forged, old-fashioned doughnuts are so good they earn every hyphen and extra letter.

Ingredients

Sour Cream Old-Fashioned Doughnuts

• 2¼ cups cake / soft-wheat flour, plus more for rolling and cutting
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon iodized salt
• ¾ teaspoons ground nutmeg
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons shortening / vegetable lard, trans-fat-free preferred
• 2 large egg yolks
• ⅔ cups sour cream
• canola oil for frying

Simplest Vanilla Glaze

• 3½ cups confectioner’s / icing sugar
• 1½ teaspoon light corn syrup / golden syrup
• ¼ teaspoon iodized salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon hot water, (plus more if needed)

Instructions

Sour Cream Old-Fashioned Doughnuts

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg together in a medium bowl, and set aside.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the sugar and shortening/vegetable lard for 1 minute on low speed, until sandy. Add the egg yolks, then mix for 1 more minute on medium speed, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is light coloured and thick.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three separate additions, alternating with sour cream, mixing until just combined on low speed and scraping the sides of the bowl each time. The dough will be sticky, like cookie/biscuit dough.
4. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap/cling film, for 45 minutes (or up to 24 hours).
5. Using a candy thermometer to measure the temperature, heat oil (at least 2 in/5 mm deep) in a deep fryer, large pot or high-sided frying pan to 325°F/165°C. Roll out the chilled dough on a generously floured counter or cutting board to ½ in/12 mm thick, or about 8 in/20 cm in diameter, flouring the top of the dough and the rolling pin as necessary to prevent sticking. Cut into as many doughnuts and holes as possible, dipping the cutter into flour before each cut. Fold and gently reroll the dough to make extra holes (working with floured hands makes the dough less sticky), and cut again.
6. Shake any excess flour off the doughnuts before carefully adding them to the hot oil a few at a time, taking care not to crowd them. Once the doughnuts float, fry for 15 seconds, then gently flip them. Fry for 75 to 90 seconds, until golden brown and cracked, then flip and fry the first side again for 60 to 75 seconds, until golden brown. Transfer to a rack set over paper towels/absorbent paper.

Simplest Vanilla Glaze

1. Place the confectioner’s/icing sugar, corn /golden syrup, salt, vanilla and hot water in a large mixing bowl or in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Using a whisk, or with the machine on low, blend until the mixture is smooth and all of the sugar has been incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary. If the glaze seems too thick, add more water, a teaspoon at a time.
2. To glaze, dip one side of each hot doughnut into the warm glaze, and let dry for 10 to 15 seconds before serving.

We wanted to make these doughnuts forever, and I think we didn't exactly know what we were doing with deep frying, so they didn't come out as TOTALLY AWESOME as we'd hoped. But I want to try again sometime soon!

Christmas Cookies Recipes

We had a Christmas Cookie Exchange in RS before Christmas, and I wanted to save some of the best recipes for the cookies I liked most so that I can make them next year!

These ginger cookies were AMAZINGLY soft.
Gwen’s Ginger Cookies
Ingredients

• 1 C. butter 
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 C. shortening 
• 2 T ginger 
• 4 C. sugar 
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• 4 med. Eggs 
• 2 tsp cloves
• ½ C. molasses 
• 7 C flour
• 2 tsp. salt

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add eggs and molasses. Mix well and then add salt, soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Mix well and then add flour. Roll in 1 1/2 inch balls; roll balls in sugar and make indentations cross ways with a fork. Bake on paper liner over cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8- 10 minutes (longer for a crisper cookie – we like them soft). Makes 4 dozen.


Peppermint Swirl Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
One batch sugar cookie dough (I prefer this recipe)
1-2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
3 drops red food coloring
Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, knead peppermint extract into sugar cookie dough. Once well combined, place half of the dough into a separate bowl.
2. Add red food coloring to one half of the cookie dough. Stir and knead until dough is a vibrant shade of red.
3. Pinch off pieces of dough, alternating between red and non-dyed pieces, and layer in a log shape on a piece of parchment paper.
4. Roll up in the parchment paper, in log form, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Once chilled, remove the dough from parchment paper and slice into 1/4 inch slices.
6. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet in a 350°F preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and allow to sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes.
8. Remove to a wire rack to cool before serving.

I really liked these cookies--they were covered in peppermint chunks and super cute cookies.

Candy Cane Snowballs

3 c. powdered sugar, divided

1 1/4 c. butter, softened

2 t. vanilla (or 1 t. vanilla, 1 t. peppermint extract)

1 egg

3 c. flour

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. finely crushed candy canes, divided

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2-3 T. milk

1. In a mixing bowl, beat 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and beat until combined. 

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Slowly add to mixing bowl, beating until combined, about 1 minute. Stir 1/2 c. finely crushed candy canes by hand. 

3. Roll dough into small balls using just under a teaspoon of dough. Roll balls through granulated sugar to coat and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool. 

4. While cookie bake, stir together remaining 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar with 2-3 T. milk. Add just enough milk to form a thick glaze. Drizzle over cooled cookies and top with remaining crushed candy canes immediately.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Original Recipe makes 30

3/4 c. butter

1/2 c. white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract

1 1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy canes

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then stir in vanilla and peppermint extracts. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into creamed mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips and candy canes. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes in preheated oven (maybe 10-12?). Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.




Brown Butter Salted Caramel Cookies
Ingredients
2½ cups all-purpose Gold Medal flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, sliced
1¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
1 cup caramel squares, cut into ¼’s
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Coarse Sea salt for sprinkling on completed cookies

Instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, cinnamon, and set aside.
2. To brown the butter, heat a medium saucepan to medium high heat. Add the sliced butter, whisking frequently. You will notice the butter starting to become frothy on the top and brown specks will start to form along the bottom. You have to watch it closely because the turn happens quickly and you don’t want it to burn. You will start to smell a nutty aroma and once it turns to a brown color, remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
3. While the butter is cooling, cut the carmel squares into ¼’s.
4. In a stand mixer, combine the brown butter and brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar. (The ¼ cup sugar will be used for rolling in the cookies). Mix until blended and smooth.
5. Beat in egg, yolk, vanilla and yogurt and mix until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients until combined.
6. Form the dough into a ball and cover with plastic. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
7. Once you are ready to bake preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Measure about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball and place 1-2 caramel squares inside, wrap the cookie dough over the caramel and roll back into a ball. Make sure it is completely covered so that the caramel won’t stick to the pan.
8. Mix ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and roll each cookie in the mixture. Place on a cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. (I used course sea salt)
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly brown. The centers will be soft. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

side dishes--green beans and cauliflower

Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic

Ingredients
2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Blanch green beans in a large stock pot of well salted boiling water until bright green in color and tender crisp, roughly 2 minutes. Drain and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop from cooking.

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the butter. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans and continue to saute until coated in the butter and heated through, about 5 minutes. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.

Not the healthiest way to eat green beans, but you really don't have to use all that butter. But they were seriously DELICIOUS!

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
Lemon juice from half a lemon
Olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and put in a single layer in an oven-proof baking dish. Toss in the garlic. Sprinkle lemon juice over cauliflower and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the oven hasn't reached 400°F yet, set aside until it has.

2 Place casserole in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower. Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Can you tell that I've been loving the lemon juice flavor added lately? I know you don't really need actual recipes to make this sort of side, but I just want to be sure I remember these techniques for veggie preparation later down the road because I liked these so much.