Doughnuts fried in oil are traditionally eaten at Chanukah time to commemorate the miracle of the menorah oil that lasted eight days. My personal favorites are doughnuts that are not fried, but rather cake doughnuts that are baked, like these apple cider doughnuts by recipe developer and cookbook author Erin Jeanne McDowell, published in the New York Times. Light and fluffy, these doughnuts have cinnamon and nutmeg in the batter and more cinnamon in the sugar topping that coats the doughnuts. With just a subtle hint of apple cider flavor these doughnuts are the quintessential fall treat and will become a much requested favorite at your annual Chanukah party.
Apple Cider Doughnuts
Apple cider (also called sweet cider, soft cider, or simply cider) is the name used in the United States and Canada for an unfiltered, unsweetened, non-alcoholic beverage made from apples. Canada recognizes unfiltered, unsweetened apple juice as cider. Fresh cider is opaque due to fine apple particles in suspension and generally tangier than commercially cooked and filtered apple juice, but this depends somewhat on the variety of apples used. Apple cider is readily available in most supermarkets.
Apple cider is shown on the left and apple juice is on the right. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia.
The recipe author recommends boiling down the apple cider to reduce it by 2/3 until it has the consistency of maple syrup to concentrate the apple flavor. If you don’t have doughnut pans that’s no reason to miss out on making these delicacies because they can also be made in muffin pans, but don’t use muffin papers. Spray the doughnut pans very well with baking spray, preferably one with flour added, before filling them with the batter. Cooling the doughnuts (or muffins) in the pan for five minutes before unmolding them allows the warm, delicate cakes to set a bit, preventing broken doughnuts. Brushing the tops of the doughnuts (or muffins) with melted butter or margarine helps the cinnamon-sugar topping stick more effectively, and also allows the cake to more closely resemble a fried doughnut in flavor. And whatever you do, don’t skip the nutmeg, preferably freshly ground, that gives these treats that authentic doughnut taste.
Assemble your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray the donut pan (or muffin pan) with baking spray, preferably one with flour added. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of apple cider and bring it to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Boil the liquid until it is reduced by two thirds and measures 1/2 cup. You might have to measure it a few times until you reach the right concentration. Allow the apple cider to cool.
Measure out the dry ingredients into a medium bowl. If using fresh nutmeg, grate the nutmeg into the bowl. Set the dry ingredients aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, measure out ten tablespoons of butter or margarine, add the brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about three to four minutes. Add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Scrape the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. With the mixer running add the concentrated apple cider in a slow steady stream until the batter is smooth.
Spoon or pipe the batter into the doughnut or muffin pan. To pipe the batter, fit a coupler into a resealable plastic bag or fill a resealable plastic bag with the doughnut batter and cut a hole in one corner of the bag. Squeeze the bag and moving it in a circular motion fill the mold. Bake the doughnuts for twelve to fifteen minutes. (Twelve minutes worked for me.) If you are making muffins, bake the batter for fifteen to twenty minutes. The doughnuts will be an even golden brown color when done and a toothpick inserted into the doughnut will emerge clean.
While the doughnuts are baking combine 1/2 cup sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon in a shallow plate. Melt two tablespoons of butter or margarine. After the doughnuts are removed from the oven allow them to cool on a baking rack for five minutes before unmolding. Unmold the doughnuts. Brush the top of each doughnut with melted butter or margarine and dredge the top of the doughnut in the prepared cinnamon and sugar mixture while they are still warm. Allow the doughnuts to cool or eat immediately.
Apple Cider Doughnuts
Light and fluffy, these doughnuts have cinnamon and nutmeg in the batter and more cinnamon in the sugar topping that coats the doughnuts.
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup boiled reduced apple cider
- Topping
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine, for brushing warm donuts
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray the donut pan (or muffin pan) with baking spray, preferably one with flour added.
Measure out 1 1/2 cups of apple cider and bring it to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Boil the liquid until it is reduced by two thirds and measures 1/2 cup. Set the boiled cider aside to cool.
Measure out the dry ingredients into a medium bowl. If using fresh nutmeg, grate the nutmeg into the bowl. Set the dry ingredients aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, measure out ten tablespoons of butter or margarine, add the brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about three to four minutes. Add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Scrape the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. With the mixer running add the concentrated apple cider in a slow steady stream until the batter is smooth.
Spoon or pipe the batter into the doughnut or muffin pan. To pipe the batter, fit a coupler into a resealable plastic bag or fill a resealable plastic bag with the doughnut batter and cut a hole in one corner of the bag. Squeeze the bag and moving it in a circular motion fill the mold. Bake the doughnuts for twelve to fifteen minutes. If you are making muffins, bake the batter for fifteen to twenty minutes. The doughnuts will be an even golden brown color when done and a toothpick inserted into the doughnut will emerge clean.
While the doughnuts are baking combine 1/2 cup sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon in a shallow plate. Melt two tablespoons of butter or margarine and reserve. After the doughnuts are removed from the oven allow them to cool on a baking rack for five minutes before unmolding. Unmold the doughnuts. Brush the top of each doughnut with melted butter or margarine and dredge the top of the doughnut in the prepared cinnamon and sugar mixture while they are still warm. Enjoy them warm or allow them to cool.
Notes
The doughnuts can be frozen successfully.
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