This is not my first attempt at making doughnuts.
My first foray into the doughnut world was a wonderfully appealing recipe for apple cider doughnuts, one that had me reminiscing about pumpkin picking, leave raking and crisp fall air. Aside from the intricate prep work, all you do is dip ‘em in a little grease and throw some around in powdered sugar—how could it go wrong? Easily, as is the case when you are under the (very naïve) impression that oil boils. False! So I waited and waited and waited and finally, in exasperation, threw a fistful of water at the pan, causing an immediate explosion of flames to reach up towards the cabinets and cause everyone in the adjacent room to call out about the curious flash of light. So, I burned a few of them. (Pete will tell you they tasted fine, but he is being a very nice roommate and lying.)
It is no coincidence, then, that this particular recipe calls for baking the doughnuts, a medium of cooking that I am entirely confident in and, provided nothing has fallen off a tray and into the depths of the oven, will doubtedly become a fire hazard.
To be sure, the prep work is a bit intensive. Since it’s a yeasted dough, there’s a rising period, followed by some quality time with a series of cookie cutters (my Ibuprofen bottle came in handy, again.) After letting them sit once more, a quick turn through the oven and, look! Doughnuts that are fluffy and round and not burnt to a crisp! Setting a big ol’ plate of these picture perfect, borderline healthy, doughnuts on the counter was of the most satisfying and satiating accomplishments this weekend.
SWEET POTATO DOUGHNUTS
(via Food & Wine)
1 large sweet potato
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup milk
1 packet active dry yeast
½ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ vanilla bean, split and seeded
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon rum
1 egg
2 egg yolks
3 ¼ cup flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Prick the sweet potato all over with a fork and cook it in a microwave for 10 minutes, until tender. Let cool, then peel and puree. In a small skillet, cook the butter over medium heat until nutty and lightly browned, about four minutes. Scrape the browned butter and solids into a small bowl and let cool.
In the same skillet, heat the milk until just warm. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the yeast and let proof for five minutes. Gently mix in the sugar, light brown sugar, salt, vanilla seeds, nutmeg and rum. Add the sweet potato puree, browned butter and solids, egg and egg yolks and beat until combined. Add the bread flour and beat at medium speed until the dough ball begins to forms. Gather the dough into a ball and transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover with a warm towel and let rise for one hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough ½-inch thick. Using a roughly 3-inch round cutter, stamp out as many rounds as possible. Using a smaller round cutter (1 inch), stamp out the centers. Transfer the doughnuts and holes to 2 parchment paper–lined baking sheets and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the doughnuts rise for an additional hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the holes for 10 minutes and the doughnuts for about 20 minutes, until risen and golden.
Once baked, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Put half of the hot doughnuts in a large bowl and drizzle with some of the melted butter; toss and turn to coat. Sprinkle with some of the cinnamon sugar and toss until evenly coated. Transfer the doughnuts to a platter and serve!
