Thursday, December 31, 2009

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!

16 comments:

  1. That is just a super idea, donuts... tasty. I love them with a bakerscream filling (we eat them in Italy in summer wherever we can!) Good idea for next year!
    Have a wonderful evening sweetie and a glorious, healthy, happy, lovely ...ecc new YEAR!!!!

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  2. These doughnuts look very tasty; much more than the bought-ones!
    Also a very joyfull and successfull (not only for baking) 2010.

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  3. Ciao ! I wish I was passing by... !Happy new year !!

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  4. Sigh ... I'd so love to have one of these and Wish you the happiest of new years!

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  5. They look delicious! Thanks for sharing :)

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  6. Ziet er allemaal geweldig uit en, uitgaande van mijn eigen incapabele frituurcapaciteiten, héél knap gedaan. Hoewel ik niet kan zeggen dat ik het er persoonlijk mee eens ben dat je Hollandse tradities wil verruilen voor Amerikaanse donuts. Taking them (oliebollen) for granted maybe?! verder: GOED 2010!!

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  7. Those look yummy, and perfectly round. Great job! I love oliebollen, and saddened I had to miss out on homemade ones this year (I'm usually "back home" this time of year but we didn't go this winter).

    Ik wil je alsnog een heel voorspoedig en gezond 2010 wensen. Ik ben blij dat ik je in 2009 "ontmoet" heb en zal zeker je blog blijven bezoeken. En heel veel success met je keuken renovatie :o)

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  8. Oh btw, "appelflappen" are called "apple turnovers" over here :o)

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  9. Wow! Your own Donuts! I have always wanted to make them. Wonderful!

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  10. Thank you all girls!
    I won't trade all of our oliebollen for donuts but there will be more next year.

    Thank you Hanaâ same here! Apple turnovers, it's corrected! Ik hoop dat mijn keukenproject -en de rest ;)- net zo goed uitpakt als dat van jou!

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  11. They look wonderful. I was drooling, and then you said, "jam filling." Ahhh, now I neeeed one! You evil temptress, you!

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  12. Bedankt voor je compliment. Ik ben erg blij met de keuken en vooral de nieuwe oven :o)

    Trouwens, heb je wel eens stroopkoeken gemaakt? Volgens mij heb je daar geen wafelijzer voor nodig.

    Ik heb afgelopen zaterdag een cake gemaakt van Rose's nieuwe book, Rose's Heavenly Cakes (zie mijn blog voor foto's: ik heb het in een rose-shaped bundt pan gebakken). Het is een Whipped Cream Cake. Je hebt nodig slagroom, suiker, bakpoeder, zout, bloem, en eieren. Zonder boter. Een echte aanrader. Mocht je het willen maken, kijk dan hier voor het recept: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000407421.

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  13. Lovely little round doughnuts...what a wonderful way to end the old year and welcome the new. Wishing you a Happy New Year, lots of fun time baking and family and friends to share it all with, plus the time to enjoy.

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  14. Wow! Beautiful olibolen...I love the interior texture.

    Happy New Year!

    Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

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  15. Your oliebollen look echt lekker! Mmmmm!!

    Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! :0)

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