Friday 6 April 2012

Epic Doughnut Fail

 A few weeks ago, I was delighted to find this vintage doughnut maker at the charity shop.  We have ALWAYS wanted to make doughnuts at home, so this seemed the perfect tool for the job.  I chose to view the beat up box as a good sign - obviously the previous owner loved and used this little gadget!



I diligently followed the instructions on the box and I made up both recipes (one a cake doughnut and one a yeast doughnut).  As the oil was heating, I announced to everyone at home that very shortly we would be eating the best tasting doughnuts ever!


The oil was finally at 375 degrees, so I gingerly released a small amount of dough into the oil with my handy dough dispenser....


...and the contents of the fryer boiled up and over all over the stove spilling boiling hot oil EVERYWHERE.   The dough separated into a thousand tiny fragments.  No doughnut shape, nothing even resembling a doughnut!

Mercifully, I'm not injured, but my stove took a kicking.  I had to pull out my back up paper towels as there was no way that I could wipe up that amount of oil with a rags and rinse it down the drain into the septic tank.

*sigh*

Have YOU ever successfully made doughnuts at home?  DO share!  









12 comments:

  1. I remember my mum having one of those donut makers and I think she only made it once. I have made a donut dough in the breadmaker and then fried them in the fryer. These turned out quite well. MMM might make some this weekend.

    Sue

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  2. Yup, anything put in oil will bubble up like that. Less oil would have probably been better. My mother never had one of these but used to just make them in a frying pan. They were good too. I think I need to make some!

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  3. Sherri I never deep fry so I'm no help. However at Pleasant View Schoolhouse often makes donuts so I just went and found a link for you, I hope it helps.

    http://pleasantviewschoolhouse.blogspot.com.au/2006/01/schoolhouse-donuts.html

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  4. should have read "Anna at Pleasant View Schoolhouse"

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  5. I've made dougnnuts many times over the years, but always used a roll and cut method. Recently, however, I discovered a little trick that makes things much quicker, easier, and neater. I use the same recipes I've always used, but instead of rolling and cutting the dough, I scoop it out of the bowl with a cookie scoop (like an ice cream scoop, but it holds two tablespoons of the dough/batter.) Release the dough into the hot oil and cook until done. Drain briefly on paper towels and then shake the hot doughnut holes in a paper bag that contains sugar, or a cinnamon-sugar mixture.

    BTW, the doughnut holes will turn themselves over in the hot oil when the bottom is done, continue cooking until the doughnut is evenly browned top and bottom. It's always a good idea to first make a sample one that you cut in half to be sure the center is cooked through. Good luck with your next doughnut adventure!

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  6. I should have added in the above reply that you need to release the dough into the hot oil very carefully, so that you don't get burned. I hold my scoop very close to the oil and release it gently. Just don't drop it from a distance, and never let children do this.

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  7. Oh, bummer! I just make mine with a biscuit cutter and fry them in a pan - actually I did a post about making cake donuts earlier this week :)
    -Jaime

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  8. Thanks for the help everyone :) Jamie - I can't believe I missed your doughnut post, LOL

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  9. Oh darn, I bet the donuts would of been awesome!

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  10. I noticed the spelling of the word "centre" in the directions. That's a British spelling, I believe. I wonder if the measurements might be different than U.S. measurements? I don't know, but it seems a possiblity.

    I am so sorry things didn't turn out better for you!

    Donna H.

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  11. My mum used to make us doughnuts with the exact machine you have and using the deep fryer. The new fang dangled deep fryers are not really deep enough for making doughnuts in them, try using a stock pot with oil and heating it up to temp then droping the mixture in to test first then if its up to heat use the machin.

    Good Luck

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