Blue Ribbon Doughnuts Food

PISTACHIO GLAZED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• For the Dough: Mix flour and pistachio pudding mix. In a seperate bowl, add warm milk, but not overly hot. Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve. Add yeast into a small bowl. Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes.
• Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is barely melted. Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the eggs don't cook. Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture for a few minutes until it's thoroughly combined.
• With the mixer still going, add food coloring and pulse until blended in. Next add heapings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for five whole minutes. Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place straight in the fridge. Refrigerate dough for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
• To Make The Doughnuts: Remove bowl from fridge and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, etc. Cut holes out of each round using a 1 1/2-inch cutter.
• Place both doughnuts and holes on a floured baking sheet. Cover with large tea towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen; my kitchen is very drafty, so I have to briefly warm the griddle, then turn it off and set the sheets on top to keep warm. Allow doughnuts to rise undisturbed for at least 1 hour; 1 hour 15 minutes if necessary. Doughuts should be visibly puffier and appear to be airy.
• Heat plenty of canola oil in a large pot until the temperature reaches 375 degrees. Use a thermometer in the pan to monitor. You don't want you heat to ever get higher than 380 degrees.
• One to two at a time, gently grab doughnuts and ease them into the hot oil. Allow them to cook 1 minute on each side; they will brown very quickly.
• Remove doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon, allowing all oil to drip off. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and holes. The holes will cook more quickly than the doughnuts; about 30 seconds per side. Allow doughnuts to slightly cool.
• FOR THE GLAZE: Place pistachios in a gallon size zip lock bag and crush with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Pour into a plate and set aside.
• Mix remaining glaze ingredients in a bowl until completely smooth.
• One by one, dip the top of doughnuts into the glaze until halfway submerged and roll in pistachios. (If desired, repeat with doughnut holes, but completely submerge doughnut holes, then remove with slotted spoon.) Turn right side up on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet (to catch dripping glaze.)
• Serve warm if possible, or room temperature.

BUTTERMILK CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• 1. MAKE THE TOPPINGS: Vanilla Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients until smooth.
• 2. Chocolate Glaze: Heat the cream and butter until hot. Pour over the chocolate and allow to melt 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Keep warm.
• 3. Cinnamon Sugar: Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon until evenly blended. You can also use powdered sugar!
• 4. MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
• 5. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, sour cream and the melted, cooled butter until combined.
• 6. Combine the dry ingredients into the wet, and stir well to form a sticky dough.
• 7. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper and another baking sheet with two layers of paper towels. Turn the dough out onto a work surface (I use waxed paper) dusted with plenty of flour. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and pat it out until it is about ½-inch thick. Use two round cutters about 3" and 1". Dip the cutters in flour each time and cut out as many doughnuts as you can. Gently move the cut doughnuts (and holes) to the parchment lined flour-dusted baking sheet. Press the dough scraps back together and keep cutting until all dough is used.
• 8. Heat 1 1/2-2" of oil in a large pot or deep skillet to 350. Fry a few doughnuts at a time (depending on your pan) for 3-5 minutes, flipping when golden brown on the first side. Remove to the paper towel lined baking sheet to drain while you finish frying the rest.
• 9. Dip or roll in the topping of your choice.

BLUE-RIBBON HERB ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add the oil, honey, salt, seasonings, egg, whole wheat flour and remaining water. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough all-purpose flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 6 portions. Divide each into 24 pieces. Shape each into a 1-in. ball; place 3 balls in each greased muffin cup. Cover and let rise until doubled, 20-25 minutes., Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks.

MOM'S RAISED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• 1. SOAK yeast in 1/2 cup warm (not hot) water - 5 minutes. TIP: I throw about 1 tsp. sugar in with this to kick it in the butt to get it going.
• 2. SCALD the milk and melt shortening. (I always remember Mom melting the Crisco in the warm milk first, so that's how I do it.)
• 3. POUR milk over sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir until dissolved. Make sure this mixture is warm, not hot.
• 4. ADD 1 cup of flour, eggs and yeast mixture. Beat until smooth. ADD remaining flour to make a soft dough. When dough leaves sides of bowl, turn out onto lightly floured board. (Recipe calls for 4-4 1/2 cups flour, but every time I make it, it only takes me 4 cups to achieve the right consistency.)
• 5. KNEAD until dough becomes smooth and elastic. Place in lightly greased bowl. Grease top of dough and cover with waxed paper. Allow to rise in warm place (80-85°) until doubled (1-1/2 hours).
• 6. ROLL OUT dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut-with a #2 can that has been opened with a tadpole can opener to leave a sharp cutting edge. Use a pill bottle or the center of doughnut cutter to make the center hole. Remove centers.
• 7. LET RISE on the board until very light (40-60 minutes).
• 8. DROP into deep hot fat (325° - 350°) and turn when doughnuts are just barely brown. Turn once again when browned sufficiently.
• 9. DRAIN on absorbent paper. While still warm, glaze with glaze (ingredients above) or dust each doughnut with granulated or confectioners sugar. NOTE: This recipe is not recommended for use with self-rising flour.