Originally posted June 10, 2012

chocolate old-fashioned doughnuts

I discovered Top Pot's Hand-Forged Doughnuts cookbook at Green Apple, and my destiny became clear. These doughnuts are hearty and not too sweet, which means you'll need a glaze or icing to round out the flavor. (A peanut butter glaze or icing pairs nicely.)

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp shortening
2 egg yolks
8 oz sour cream
2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
canola oil for frying

1 dozen smaller doughnuts

Directions

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, combine sugar and shortening. Mix in the yolks, sour cream, and salt.

Sift in the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and nutmeg. Mix until combined.

Form a dough ball and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat 2" canola oil to 325º. (I've found that medium seems to maintain the right temperature.)

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/2" thick. Cut out 2 1/2" doughnuts, re-rolling the remnants and cutting again.

Working in batches, drop the doughnuts into the oil. Once they float, flip them over and cook for 1 minute. Then flip again and cook 1 minute. Remove. Let drain and cool.

Apply a glaze or icing.

90 minutes