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Plum Glazed Donuts

August 28th, 2012

I am not really sure what is wrong with me that I would feel the need to make donuts today. It is like a sickness. A donut sickness.

I made homemade yeast donuts. The real fried kind- not the healthy baked kind.

It was because I had fresh fruit glaze on the brain, and there was no better vehicle I could think of for a fruit glaze than donuts. And I always think the fluffy fried yeast donuts hold up best to the glaze.

So that was settled as soon as I twisted my own rubber arm.

Then It was on to what type of glaze would be slathered on these little fried delights. Peaches were at the top of my list until I realized that my plums were actually ripe, then I was incapable of thinking about anything else. Plum glaze it was.

You wind up with gorgeous fluffy, sweet donuts and a sweet and slightly tart plum glaze that is the most beautiful color I have ever seen. These would be an incredible breakfast for your loved ones over the long weekend.

If you want to make them, this is what you do:

Add the milk to a small pan, and bring the milk to a boil. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and let the milk cool. (I think it helps if you transfer it to another bowl so that it can cool faster).

In a small bowl, combine the hot water and the yeast. Let sit while rising, about 10 minutes. (Also, make sure that you test the temperature of the water after it is in the bowl- because a cold bowl can cool the temperature down so much that the yeast doesn’t rise. Also, make sure that you stir the yeast into the water right when you add it).

Combine the milk, sugar, salt, eggs, Crisco and the 2 ½ cups of AP flour. Mix well, and then add the yeast. When this is well combined, add the additional 3 cups of cake flour.

Mix on high for about 3-5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a non-drafty place for about an hour (or in my case up to 4 hours!).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll the nice, fluffy, soft dough to about ½ inch in thickness.

Using a doughnut cutter, or two round cookie cutters, cut out the doughnuts, (saving the holes).

Place these on a sheet pan (mine had a silpat, but you could use wax paper or parchment), and let them rise about another 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.

In a large, heavy pot, heat 1 qt of vegetable oil to 350 degrees (please use a thermometer!!) Fry the doughnuts and doughnut holes just until golden brown, before gently flipping them with a chopstick or a Chinese spider strainer.

When golden on both sides, pick them up with the Chinese spider strainer. Let them sit on a cooling rack to drain, (although they really wont be very greasy) and put them on a rack to cool.

To make the plum glaze:

Slice two plums into wedges, dispose of the pit. Melt the butter in the pan and add the plum slices and the sugar

Simmer on low for about 5 minutes until the plums start to get soft and before the sugar caramelizes.

In a blender combine the powdered sugar, milk and the plums with all of their cooking liquid.

Blend on high until you have a smooth glaze. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Dip the donuts 2/3 of the way and twist the donuts to keep the glaze from dripping off the donuts.

Let sit on a wire rack until set up.

Slice two plums into wedges, dispose of the pit. Melt the butter in the pan and add the plum slices and the sugar

Simmer on low for about 5 minutes until the plums start to get soft and before the sugar caramelizes.

In a blender combine the powdered sugar, milk and the plums with all of their cooking liquid.

Blend on high until you have a smooth glaze. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Dip the donuts 2/3 of the way and twist the donuts to keep the glaze from dripping off the donuts.

Let sit on a wire rack until set up.