150 Best Donut Recipes! Fried or Baked

150 Best Donut Recipes
Fried or Baked
George Geary
Paperback, 224 pages

I just had my coffee so this is the perfect time to be talking about donuts. The best donut I ever had was at Tyrone Mills, Ontario. They make cider and apple cider donuts which are to die for. The secret? They are homemade fresh on the spot and handed to you still warm and delicious.

Now we have the opportunity to replicate that fresh donut deliciousness at home with 150 Best Donut Recipes. In the book you will find every kind of donut you can think of - yeasty raised donuts, dense cakey ones, fried, baked... you name it! There are even icings, glazes, sugars and fresh fillings to tart up your homemade donuts.

Some of the donutty goodness you will find in the book include:

•     Raised Donuts: Cinnamon Honey Donuts, Key Lime Donuts, Mocha Raised Donuts
•     Cake Based Donuts: Buttermilk Donuts, Dark Devil's Food Donuts, Rum Raisin Donuts
•     Baked Donuts: Coconut Marshmallow Donuts, Strawberry Donuts, Lemon Cream Donuts
•     Holiday Donuts: Christmas Swirl Donuts, Father's Day Tie Donuts, Fresh Cherry Donuts
•     One-Bite Donuts: Green Tea Bites, Baked Maple Mini-Donuts, Donut Holes
•     Special Donuts: Caramel Apple Fritters, Cinnamon Roll Donuts, Maple Bacon Bars

Donuts for every occasion!

Here are two donut recipes from the book that you can try at home - one is fried and the other is baked.

Fresh Vanilla Bean Donuts
Makes about 12 donuts / page 42

Fresh vanilla beans create little dark specks in the dough. They are a burst of flavor.

Tip
If vanilla beans are unavailable, use 1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract or paste.

Stand mixer with paddle attachment
•    3-inch (7.5 cm) round donut cutter
•    Baking sheet, lined with parchment paper
•    Digital candy/deep-fry thermometer

3⁄4 cup     whole milk    190 mL
 + 1 tbsp
1    vanilla bean, split lengthwise (see Tip)    1
   
1    package (1⁄4 oz/8 g) quick-rising (instant) yeast    1
   
1    large egg    1
2 tbsp    canola oil    30 mL
23⁄4 cups    all-purpose flour, divided (approx.)    675 mL
1 tbsp    granulated sugar    15 mL
1⁄8 tsp    salt    0.5 mL
    Canola oil

1.    In a small saucepan, combine milk and vanilla bean. Heat over medium heat to 110°F (43°C). With fingers, press seeds out of the pod into the milk and stir to distribute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into mixer bowl. Discard vanilla pod or reserve for another use. Sprinkle yeast over milk mixture and stir with a fork. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2.    Attach bowl to mixer fitted with paddle attachment and add egg, oil, 1 cup (250 mL) of the flour, sugar and salt to yeast mixture. Let stand in bowl for 10 minutes. On low speed, mix just until blended, then gradually add just enough of the remaining flour until dough starts to pull away from sides of bowl. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. 
3.    Transfer dough to a large oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.

Excerpted from 150 Best Donut Recipesby George Geary © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca All rights reserved: May not be reprinted without publisher permission.

Mini Pumpkin Donuts
Makes about 24 mini donuts / page 164

These small simple bites offer an array of fall spicy flavors to tantalize your taste buds.
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C)

Two 12-well mini-donut pans, sprayed with nonstick spray

21⁄2 cups    all-purpose flour    625 mL
3⁄4 cup    packed brown sugar    175 mL
2 tsp    baking powder    10 mL
1 tsp    salt    5 mL
1 tsp    ground cinnamon    5 mL
1⁄2 tsp    freshly ground nutmeg    2 mL
1⁄4 tsp    ground allspice    1 mL
1⁄8 tsp    ground ginger    0.5 mL
2    large eggs, beaten    2
3⁄4 cup    whole milk    175 mL
1⁄2 cup    pumpkin purée (not pie filling)    125 mL
1 tbsp    unsalted butter, melted    15 mL
1 tsp    vanilla extract    5 mL

1.    In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger. Set aside.
2.    In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, pumpkin purée, butter and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula just until incorporated.
3.    Place batter into a resealable freezer bag or pastry bag (see page 8) and fill each prepared well two-thirds full.
4.    Bake in preheated oven until donut springs back when lightly touched, 10 to 14 minutes.
5.    Let donuts cool in pans on a rack for 5 minutes. Turn out of pans onto rack and toss with Autumn Spiced Sugar, if using, or let cool completely prior to icing.
Excerpted from 150 Best Donut Recipesby George Geary © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca All rights reserved: May not be reprinted without publisher permission.