Monday, November 24, 2008

Let Me Sleep You Crazy Man!



Deep Fried Fluffy Dough Logs of Love and Indescribable Happiness...
or Pumpkin Doughnuts...

I have a friend who had an incurable sickness called KK. Krispy Kreme. I have to say I don't blame him but I just can't bring myself to drive all the way across town to get a deep fried dough ball... So when he asked if I had a recipe for pumpkin doughnuts my evil and twisted mind floated back to the days when I was up all night, not with babies, but with doughnuts. I can't help confessing right here and now that I may have intentionally fumbled with a doughnut or two just so I could sample the "broken" ones... still warm out of the fryer. The security guards loved to come by my corner of the bakery late at night. They would find broken pieces of fritters and jelly filled Bismark just begging for a friendly visitor to sample them. So can I help it if now as a mom and at home late at night I can't shut off my brain and end up in the wee hours concocting something as evil as a deep fried yeast raised fluffy pumpkin doughnut covered in maple glaze... and then topped with a rich cream cheese frosting, chocolate chunks and toasted almonds. Is it wrong? I may not be right in the head, but tell me these doughnuts look amazing! I'm telling you right now, if I could only eat with my eyes, I'd be a size 6. I really need to stop answering emails... those little voices in my head that beg for a recipe that has never been tackled. This was one of those voices. Thanks a lot. Mr. Evil. Now if I could only make this thigh fit in my pant leg...

Pumpkin doughnuts1 cup warm milk (not too hot now)
2 tsp active dry yeast (1 pkg)
1 tsp salt
1 cup packed canned pumpkin
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
4 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp almond extract
Vegetable shortening ( for frying)

Directions:
Put the milk, yeast, sugar, pumpkin in a mixer with a whisk and mix until smooth. Add remaining ingredients. Mix with a dough hook until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes (by hand about 300 turns). Put dough in a covered bowl and raise about 1 hour until doubled. Lightly flour a counter top and roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into doughnuts or bars. I like the bars. Allow to raise uncovered 1 hour. Using a heavy pot and a thermometer, heat about 4 inches of oil to 360 degrees (with a candy thermometer). Lower the doughnuts into the hot fat, and brown on one side then carefully turn over. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all the doughnuts are cooked (this yields 16 good size bars or about 20 doughnuts and holes). When cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting or glaze with a maple glaze.

Maple glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
2-3T hot water
1/4 tsp maple flavor
dash of salt.
Mix until smooth and spread over doughnuts with a silicone brush.

2 comments:

TARA said...

As someone who actually devoured one of these donuts, I TESTIFY of their greatness! The only thing I'm worried about is when you're gonna make more...

Chef Tess said...

Oh yea. Everybody... Tara couldn't stop. I was delighted to be able to share the sugar buzz. In a lame attempt to save my soul and my thighs I took some to her house. Thank Tara for the photo too! All hail my culinary chickie! (We graduated from Culinary school together.) WHEN I make more... and that will be painfully soon I'm afraid...you will not be forgotten by the pumkin pixie. I hear she delivers!