sparkle kitchen: spiced doughnuts
In the By Thistle By Thimble story “The Sheriff's Real Apology,” Sheriff Todd has been the beloved “keeper of the peace” for small town Weaverton, California for many years. He is a fair man and a kind man, but most of all he is a protective man.
His loyalty and care for the people of Weaverton is his greatest strength, but also his weakness. This becomes very clear when the circus comes to town and worry for his daughter's safety causes him to make a very big mistake — a mistake that requires an equally big, authentic apology.
An authentic apology — yikes. I don't know anyone who likes needing to do that. But, as the sheriff in the story realizes, stepping up and being genuinely contrite — really sincerely trying to set things right — is always a good thing to do when you're in the wrong.
Do you know what's even better though? An apology that comes with donuts.
Like the circus in the story, these donuts are a once-a-year treat at our house. They're perfect for a chilly fall morning when you don't have much to do and standing around a warm stove sounds appealing.
And this recipe makes more than enough donuts to share.
You will need to remember to mix the dough before you go to bed so that it has time to rise, and — as always — be careful when frying with hot oil. But, whether you need to apologize to a neighbor about a dog who was awake too early (raises hand) or you just want to preemptively create goodwill, there are few things in the world that a plate of hot donuts will not improve.
Cinnamon and Sugar Donuts
makes about two dozen donuts
Ingredients
1 packet of yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 cup tepid water
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cardamom
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra
Frying oil (like vegetable, canola, or peanut)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Directions
Pour the packet of yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar into the tepid water and stir. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, cardamon and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
Add the yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the flour. Mix with a spoon until the dough becomes too thick, then knead with your clean hands for at least 5 minutes. You’re looking for a smooth, stretchy dough, so you may have to add a little more flour or water depending on the day.
Coat the dough in just a little more olive oil, put it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise in a warm place overnight.
In the morning, beat the dough down and divide it out into pieces, with each one just a little smaller than a golf ball. Put the pieces on a baking sheet covered with plastic wrap and let them rise again.
As that’s happening, fill a deep, heavy skillet or Dutch oven with frying oil. You need about 2 inches of oil in the bottom of the pan and — for safety’s sake — you should also have at least 2 inches of clearance between the top of the oil and the top of the pan. Using a thermometer, heat the oil to about 375° F.
While the oil heats, mix the 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and the 1/2 cup of sugar together in a small bowl, and prepare a baking sheet with a cooling rack over the top as a place to rest your finished doughnuts.
Meanwhile, when the oil is hot and the donuts have risen, use a slotted spoon to gently lower several of the balls into the hot oil. Working in batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan, let the donuts fry on one side for 4-5 minutes, then gently flip them to cook on the other side for the same amount of time.
When the doughnuts are golden brown on all sides, remove them from the oil with the slotted spoon and place them on your prepared cooling rack. As you fry the remaining doughnuts, dredge the cooked doughnuts in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Once all of the doughnuts are done, pile them up on a plate and eat them while they’re hot.
--- If you liked this recipe, here are others you might enjoy: - Cinnamon Honey Snowflakes - Baked Apples with Cinnamon Oat Nut Stuffing - Risgrøt
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About the Author
Meryl Carver-Allmond
The Sparkle Kitchen Series is created by Meryl Carver-Allmond.
Meryl lives in a hundred-year-old house near the prairie with her sweet husband, two preschoolers, one puppy, one gecko, and about ten chickens. While she's been writing since she could pick up a pen, in recent years she's discovered the joy of photography, too. She feels lucky to be able to combine those skills, along with a third passion — showing people that cooking for themselves can be healthy and fun — in her Sparkle Kitchen posts.
