Doughnuts or Oliebollen?

Liberated by myself, isn't that the best feeling? In the first three hours after waking up this morning I had a ping pinging: don't have to, don't need to ladidadidaaaa....

Because I already had.

Already had my traditional bath in oil. Locked up in the small kitchen annex together with a frying pan and a huge bowl of batter. Radio blaring. Fleece sweater. Winter boots.

You guessed it, I baked my oliebollen yesterday. And as things go, not only oliebollen with raisins and currants, also plain ones, appelflappen (apple turnovers) and this year's success: donuts.

I loved baking these! Not only because you don't have to juggle a cookiescoop, almost liquid batter clinging to every surface, meanwhile praying that they will be nice, airy and dutifully will round out in the pan with hot oil. (Oliebollen bliss? Super round balls that will turn out of their own accord when they are done on one side..)

None of that, this is a sponge based sweet yeasted dough, after a first rise you make balls which rise a second time and then they go dunk dunk dunk into the frying oil.

Recipe:

( "Excellent cakes" by Dan Lepard)

makes 25 small ones

2 tsp yeast

175 ml warm milk

170 gr ap flour

280 gr strong white flour (bread flour) + extra for dusting

1 tsp salt

85 gr unsalted butter, diced and softened (I used 50 gr)

2 eggs

85 gr caster sugar + extra fine sugar for coating (I used 50 in the dough and mixed cinnamon and sugar for dusting)

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp cinnamon

sunflower oil for deep frying

Sponge: whisk together yeast, milk and plain flour, cover and leave in a warm place until actively bubbling or risen by at least one-third.

In your mixer combine sponge, bread flour and salt at the lowest speed. Add butter one piece at a time, when fully incorporated mix in the eggs. Add sugar, zest and cinnamon and knead for 8 minutes. Turn to higher speed and knead for a further 2 minutes. It really takes some time for this dough to come together.

Turn out your dough (still sticky) on a floured surface and finish kneading by hand until you have a smooth elastic ball of dough with fully developed gluten. Leave to prove and double at room temperature. Approx. 2 hours.

Turn out on a floured (I prefer a very light oiling) surface, gently deflate, roll up and divide into 25 pieces. Roll the pieces into balls with a very tight surface and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 40 minutes or there-abouts. (On a floured tray covered with a cloth or plastic).

Heat oil for deep frying or use a deep fryer, temp 190C. Fry in small batches, turning after 1-2 minutes on one side. When done, drain on kitchen paper and coat the doughnuts while still warm. Put some caster sugar on a plate and turn them in the sugar to coat.Really very good, easy to work with, no hassle. I'd love to try them again with a jam-filling or maybe a glaze.. Or, or, or... make them savoury by using bacon and cheese... I can see some more donuts instead of our traditional oliebollen in New Years Eves to come. Closing down for now, preparing for our New Year's Eve.

Until then, I'd like to wish you a very Happy New Year, stay safe tonight, count your blessings and don't forget to have fun. Now and on the other side of 2009, in 2010!