Perfect for a weekend treat, these old-fashioned cake doughnuts and doughnut holes from Williams-Sonoma are beautifully aromatic with cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. They’re easy to prepare and so delicious you might want to make a few batches! The doughnuts will almost triple in thickness while they’re cooking, so be sure to fry them in batches to avoid crowding.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 1 tbs unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- Peanut or canola oil for deep-frying
- Icing sugar for dusting
Method
In a bowl, sift together the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
To make the dough by hand, in a large bowl, whisk together the egg and caster sugar until creamy and pale. Add the melted butter and buttermilk and whisk until blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough holds together.
To make the dough with an electric mixer, in a large bowl, beat together the egg and caster sugar on low speed until creamy and pale. Add the melted butter and buttermilk and beat until blended. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat until the dough holds together.
Line a large baking tray with paper towels. In a deep, heavy saucepan, pour in oil to a depth of 5 cm and heat to 185°C (check with a deep-frying thermometer like this Digital Candy & Deep Fry Thermometer from Williams-Sonoma, or test with a cube of bread; it should turn golden in 60 seconds).
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to a 25 cm round about 1 cm thick. Use a 7 cm cookie cutter to cut out 8 rounds, then use a 2 cm cutter to cut a round from the centre of each.
When the oil is up to temperature, place 2 doughnuts and 2 doughnut holes into the oil and fry for about 2 minutes until deep golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, turn them and fry on the other side, about 1 1/2 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer to the paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes.
Arrange the doughnuts and holes on a serving plate. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust with icing sugar and serve immediately. Makes 8 doughnuts and 8 doughnut holes.
– Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Breakfast and Brunch, by Georgeanne Brennan, Elinor Klivans, Jordan Mackay and Charles Pierce.
