Dad's doughnuts

I know it's not crappie but bear with me....First, a little back story. My Dad grew up in Maine and we traveled there often over the years. Growing up here in CT, a couple of times a year, he would make doughnuts, using a recipe card he got from his mom, a recipe he grew up eating back on the family farm. All us kids and our cousins remember him making these and how quick they would get eaten up; it was a big event around here.
He passed in 2013 (August 4th was 10 years) and it was quite a long time before that that he had made any. My wife joined our family in '85 and she remembers only a time or 2 that he made them.
I was watching this fishing video last fall and the recipe that the older gent shows quickly is nearly exactly what my dad used; I went and seached it out at Mom's house.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSJ8Js8fxQE

I just had to make a batch even though I'd never made doughnuts before. I even used his old doughnut pot for tradition. They came out pretty good, pretty much just like Dad's. I think he would have approved.

This morning I needed something to do and made another batch to take another trip down memory lane. This time was much more efficient than the first time and I snapped a few pictures of the process.
This link shows another video where the nice gent outlines the whole process in his home kitchen if you want to give them a go on your own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKo4QDhB6MU

At the start: Dad always used lard so I do too.
Attachment 467492

It's kind of a wet dough to start, had to add more flour to stiffen and roll out. These are a cake type doughnut, not an airy raised type.

Attachment 467493

Ready to fry in the hot lard, about 1 1/2" deep at 350-360 degrees and yes, that is Dad's doughnut cutter from my childhood.

Attachment 467494

Testing with a few of the holes; yup, good to go. Only takes a minute or so.

Attachment 467496

Time to make the doughnuts!

Attachment 467497

My wife likes hers with cinnamon and sugar, I like them plain with milk. She suggested maple syrup or maple cream would be good to; I like the way she thinks as I love most anything maple flavored.

Attachment 467499

Attachment 467500

We had given away a bunch at this point to my brother's family as his grandkids were over. I don't really need to eat the whole batch myself anyway. I'm pretty sure that Dad approves of my efforts to keep the tradition going.

Mighty fine. I will have to give these a try

Awesome job carrying on the tradition and using his cooking stuff. Good job sir, good memories. They look delicious.

Attachment 467532

Who doesnt like a good donut? Thanks for sharing

Awesome Post Bud! God I love fried doughnuts. If you can take the time to write your dad's recipe here if you have it. That would be fantastic, I collect old family recipes, anybody's, kinda cool to me.

We made a couple of small adjustments to Dad's list and here is what we did today.Combined and whisked all the wet ingredients and sugar before adding to the dry parts. Dry parts were whisked as well before adding the wet.

1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup soured milk ( 1 T white vinegar to 1 cup whole milk, let stand 15 minutes stirring occasionally), you could probably substitute buttermilk but I don't see that as an option in a couple other versions that I've found.
2 eggs

4 cups AP flour, expect to add more to stiffen when turning out. We've made a note to try 4 1/2 cups to start next time.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg or to taste
1 1/2 Tablespoons cinnamon or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Cooking oil at 350-360, we used lard 'cause Dad did it that way. We like it, too!
Stir only enough to incorporate before turning out, add flour as needed to stiffen before minimal kneading before rolling out 3/8 to 1/2" thick. Dough will be very wet and sticky when turning out as mixed above. Might be worth a thinner rollout to boost yield, can gather and re-roll scraps for another round. These have a dense, cake like texture, not light and airy like a raised/glazed.

Thank you for following up, Lard is a magical ingredient. It makes Tamales better too especially if you Whip it to light & fluffy before cutting into the Masa.

love me some cake donuts , sure will put some lbs. on the bones though , just saying :Rofl
nice read and recipe sir .....:highfive

Great post. Thanks for the story