Recipe: Here are a few ....

BLUEBEERY CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2000

2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed, hulled and patted dry
3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar In an electric mixer, fitted with paddle, cream the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs, 1 at a time and beat until incorporated. With the machine running, slowly add the buttermilk. Switch the paddle attachment to a dough hook and add the blueberries. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, until the dough forms a smooth ball and climbs up the dough hook. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the fryer to 350 degrees. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll out to 1/2-inch thick. Using a doughnut cutter or 2 biscuit cutters, cut the dough into rounds. Fry the doughnuts in batches until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. In small bowl, whisk together the milk and powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over each doughnut and allow to sit until the glaze sets. Serve the doughnuts on a platter.
Yield: about 2 dozen

SPICED SUGAR DOUGHNUTS

Recipe courtesy of David Rosengarten

3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup milk
Vanilla sugar

Into a large bowl sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice. In another large bowl combine sugar; eggs and melted butter.Whisk mixture to finish combining. Adds 1/3 cup of the milk and l cup flour mixture to bowl containing the sugar and eggs. Adds remaining flour mixture alternately with the remaining 2/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup at a time. Combine mixture well and chill for l hour.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface adding just enough flour to form a soft dough. Halve the dough and refrigerate one half while preparing the first batch of doughnuts. Roll dough l/3 inch thick and with a floured doughnut cutter, cut out rounds. Add enough oil to a deep fat fryer or heavy saucepan to measure 3 inches in depth. Heat the oil to 365 degrees F. Add doughnuts to heated oil along with the holes, 2 to 3 at a time until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Roll doughnuts and holes in vanilla sugar.
Yield: 3 dozen doughnuts

DINER-STYLE POWDERED BUTTERMILK DOUGHNUTS

Diner Desserts (Chronicle Books, 2000) By Tish Boyle, Photographs by Clark Irey

3 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1. In a medium bowl, soft together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the sugar and stir the dry ingredients with a whisk until combined.
2. In a medium bowl, whisktogether the buttermilk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla until blended. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk mixture into it. Using a rubber spatula, stir until the moxture forms a soft, moist dough. Dust a work surface with flour. Scrape the dough onto the work surface and lightly sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently 5 or 6 times, or until smooth. Roll or pat the dough into a round roughly 10 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Transfer the round to a baking sheet, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes, or until firm.
3. Using a 3-inch doughnut cutter (or a 3-inch round biscuit cutter and a 3/4-inch cutter or pastry tip for the hole), cut out 7 doughnuts and holes from the dough. Gather the scraps together, reroll 1/2-inch thick, and cut out 3 more doughnuts and as many holes as possible. Place the doughnuts and holes on a baking sheet or 2 plates, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while heating the oil for frying.
4.Pour the oil into a deep-fat fryer or large straight-sided saucepan to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. heat the oil to 370 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
5. Fry the doughnuts and holes in small batches, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the paper towels to drain, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.
6. When the doughnuts and holes are completely cool, place the confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. Generously dredge the doughnuts and holes in the sugar, shaking off the excess. Serve the same day.
Yield: 10 doughnuts and about 16 doughnut holes