Chef John Apple Cider Donuts Food

BAKED APPLE CIDER DONUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter two 6-cup donut pans.
• Pour apple cider into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let it cook, watching carefully, until the cider is reduced to 1/2 cup. If it reduces too much, add enough water to make 1/2 cup. Set aside until needed.
• Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg to a large bowl. Mix with a whisk until combined and set aside until needed.
• Whisk 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, milk, 2 tablespoons melted butter, vanilla extract, and egg together in another bowl until combined. Add the apple cider reduction and the dry ingredients. Whisk together to form a slightly thick batter; do not overmix.
• Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut pans, filling them about 3/4 of the way up.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the tops are lightly browned, and the donuts spring back slightly to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans before removing to a sheet pan lined with a silicone baking mat. Cut out any donut holes as necessary.
• If desired, while still slightly warm, brush the donuts lightly with remaining melted butter. Mix 1 cup white sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon together for topping in a shallow dish; toss in donuts to coat. Let cool completely before serving.

APPLE CIDER (BAKED) DONUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray four 6-cavity donut pans with nonstick baking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest. Whisk for 30 seconds to distribute the leavening.
• In a liquid measure cup, combine the cider, buttermilk and vanilla.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix on high until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture and then half of the cider mixture. Continue alternating between the two until the batter is just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and, using a large rubber spatula, fold the batter a few times to make sure the ingredients are well distributed.
• Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a large zip-close bag with a corner snipped off, and pipe into two of the donut pans. Top each pan with a second, inverted pan and use clips to hold them in place. (Some pans come with clips; otherwise, use metal hardware or paper clips.) Bake until the cake just springs back when gently touched, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Turn the donuts out onto a cooling rack; immediately brush with melted butter, then dip in the cinnamon sugar.

BAKED APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 (6-cavity) doughnut pans (or a 12-cup muffin tin) with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 10 tablespoons/140 grams butter, brown sugar and 1/4 cup/50 grams granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated after each addition, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. With the mixer running, add the apple cider in a slow, steady stream and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl well to make sure the batter is homogeneous.
• Spoon the batter into prepared doughnut pans, filling them about 2/3 of the way. (You can also do this using a disposable piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with a 1/2-inch opening cut from one corner.) Bake until evenly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the thickest portion comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking. (If you are making muffins, divide batter evenly between the prepared cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.)
• While the doughnuts bake, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together in a small bowl to combine. In a separate small bowl, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Let the doughnuts cool for 5 minutes after baking, then unmold them from the pans, brush with the melted butter and dredge them in the cinnamon sugar while they are still warm. Serve immediately, or let cool to room temperature.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND BREAKFAST DONUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Generously spray or brush a nonstick donut pan with cooking spray; set aside until needed.
• Place eggs, vegetable oil, and maple syrup into a mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly until the mixture is emulsified, light, and a little bit foamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add almond flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder; mix everything together thoroughly with a spatula until all the almond flour is incorporated and you've achieved a very thick batter.
• Transfer batter into a pastry bag, or a plastic zip-top bag with one of the corners cut off. Pipe the batter evenly into the prepared donut pan.
• Dip a finger in water and smooth the tops of the batter to even out. Tap the pan on a work surface a few times to settle the batter even more.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until a wooden skewer inserted into a donut comes out clean, 9 to 10 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.