halloween 2009: doughnuts and wassail

it seems as if i've become a bit of a party pooper in my old age. the last thing on the planet i want to do is don a costume and party hop on halloween. i want to make the traditional doughnuts and wassail and watch cheesy movies with friends. i really wanted to re-learn the thriller dance but that was as festive as i was feeling. the thing is, it was a ridiculously enjoyable day and night. which goes to show, it's not where you are but who you are with, and what you are eating. that's sort of a saying, right? i didn't get a chance to take images of these recipes last year so here is some photographic evidence of doughnuts and wassail.

the doughnuts actually turned out better than they ever have before, which was a nice treat for me.


here is the recipe:

beat till frothy:
3 eggs

add, beating well:
1 1/4 c. sugar

add, stirring well:
2 T. melted butter
1 c. milk

stir in:
1 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. cinnamon (i like to add a little more)
4 c. flour (probably added more like 5 1/2 cups when all was said and done)

mix well—can chill for easier handling. Fry at 375° (i tried that first but it seemed too hot so i dropped it about 100°) until done.


here is the wassail recipe:

1 quart water
2 1/4 c. sugar
10 cloves
8 allspice berries
2 sticks cinnamon
1 piece of candied ginger
2 quarts apple cider or juice
1 quart orange juice (i like the extra pulp kind)
2 c. lemon juice

mix water and sugar; boil for 5 minutes. remove from heat. stir in cloves, allspice berries, cinnamon and ginger. let stand 1 hour or more. strain. stir in apple cider, orange juice, and lemon juice. serve warm.

the original halloween doughnut recipe

unfortunately, i have no pictures of these... yet. but here is great grandma julia's classic recipe:

beat till frothy:
3 eggs

add, beating well:
1 1/4 c. sugar

add, stirring well:
2 T. melted butter
1 c. milk

stir in:
1 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. cinnamon (i like to add a little more)
4 c. flour

mix well—can chill for easier handling. Fry at 375° until done.

my sisters like to eat these plain, but my old roomate and i like to make cinnamon sugar topping or a glaze.

any of the doughnuts i've made, yeast or cake seem to only really be good the day that you make them. they lose their light texture after they cool off and sit for too long. let me know if any of you guys try either of these recipes!

doughnut party

that provided the recipe for cinnamon doughnuts. well, this year i wanted to relive my when we were kids, we would make doughnuts with our parents on halloween. i think it was my great grandma juliachildhood memories by making doughnuts on halloween (that and i was a halloween hater this year) but usually people hate on cake doughnuts so, i thought i'd try a yeast recipe. i found this one on the food network that turned out pretty well. i would not put in nutmeg the next time and i added more flour. i found another recipe online that is supposedly the krispy kreme recipe and i used the glaze part of it for these doughnuts.


Doughnuts
2 cups scalded milk
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons yeast
4 eggs (beaten)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
7 cups sifted flour

Glaze
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cold water

Melt butter in hot milk, add 1 tsp sugar and salt. Allow to cool.
Beat in yeast, nutmeg, eggs, remaining sugar, and 3 cups flour.
Add rest of flour (dough will be sticky).
Knead for 5 minutes then allow to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours.
Roll out dough, cut into shapes.
Do not re-roll dough, then allow to rise for 30-45 minutes.
Heat oil to 365° and fry 1 - 2 minutes on each side or until brown. Toss in the doughnut holes first, let those cook, and then proceed to cooking the donuts.
Let them cool on a paper towel - helps get the glaze to stick.
Dip in warm glaze.

i'd be interested in trying this recipe for the doughnut part when i have more time and see if it really is like the krispykremes. but i do have to say, next doughnut party, people are getting great grandma julia's recipe cinnamon doughnuts whether they like it or not.