Doughnut Holes

(Dairy or Pareve)

Judy Rosenberg of Rosie’s Bakery

I bow to no one in my love of doughnuts. Not the fancy-shmancy ones, mind you, but your basic, old-fashioned doughnutty doughnut that's crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside - like these doughnut holes. My family devours them in bulk at Chanukah, when tradition calls for doughnuts (for any fried food, actually) to commemorate the oil that miraculously kept the Temple's sacred light burning for eight days and nights. Even divine intervention wouldn't keep these doughnut holes around my house that long, so it's a good thing that they're quick to prepare.

Ingredients

1 1/2 quarts pure vegetable oil

The Coatings:
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

The Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour:
2/3 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature

Makes about 20 doughnut holes

Variation: Cider Doughnuts (pareve)

Substitute 1/2 cup apple cider for the buttermilk and 1 tablespoon margarine for the butter, and add 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 3/4 cup finely chopped peeled apples to the batter.

If you like chocolate on your doughnuts, try the following easy glaze:

Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a saucepan until just below boiling. Add 4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated or chips. Remove pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for 10-15 minutes or until the chocolate is melted. Stir until smooth. Dip half of each doughnut hole in the glaze and place on a plate to set.

Judy Rosenberg is also the author of Rosie’s Bakery All-Butter Fresh Cream Sugar-Packed No-Holds-Barred Baking Book and Rosie’s Bakery Chocolate-Packed Jam-Filled Butter-Rich No-Holds-Barred Cookie Book.