PUMPKIN DOUGHNUT HOLES RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat the milk until it is warm but not hot, about 90 degrees. In a large bowl, combine it with the yeast. Stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat the eggs, butter, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons), and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is too wet. If you’re using an electric mixer, the dough will probably become too thick to beat; when it does, transfer it to a floured surface, and gently knead it until smooth. Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out the doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, concentric cookie cutters or a drinking glass and a shot glass (the larger one should be about 3 inches in diameter), flouring the cutters as you go. Reserve the doughnut holes. If you’re making filled doughnuts, don’t cut out the middle. Knead any scraps together, being careful not to overwork, and let rest for a few minutes before repeating the process.
• Put the doughnuts on two floured baking sheets so that there is plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes. If your kitchen isn’t warm, heat the oven to 200 at the beginning of this step, then turn off the heat, put the baking sheets in the oven and leave the door ajar.
• About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375. Meanwhile, line cooling racks, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
• Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time. If they’re too delicate to pick up with your fingers (they may be this way only if you rose them in the oven), use a metal spatula to pick them up and slide them into the oil. It’s O.K. if they deflate a bit; they’ll puff back up as they fry. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a slotted spoon to flip; cook until they’re deep golden all over. Doughnut holes cook faster. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375. Glaze or fill as follows, and serve as soon as possible.

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a 3-inch-round cookie cutter or glass to trace 12 circles on the parchment, leaving space between each. Flip the parchment over and lightly coat with cooking spray. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip or snip a 1/2-inch hole in one corner of a large resealable plastic bag.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the whole egg and yolk until incorporated and the mixture turns pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Beat in the milk and vanilla until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually beat in the flour mixture until just incorporated (do not overmix). Transfer the batter to the prepared pastry bag.
• Using the circles as a guide, pipe the batter into 3-inch rings. (To make doughnut holes with the remaining batter, pipe 1-inch rounds onto the parchment.) Refrigerate while you heat the shortening, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Heat about 6 cups shortening in a large pot over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 340 degrees F. (You want to have about 2 inches of liquid once the shortening melts.) Use scissors to cut the parchment around each doughnut, leaving a 1-inch border. Carefully invert 2 doughnuts into the shortening and peel off the parchment with tongs. Fry until golden brown, 1 minute 30 seconds per side. (Fry the doughnut holes 30 seconds per side.) Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Bring the shortening back to 340 degrees F and repeat with the remaining doughnuts.