So you’re going to be an intern. So maybe you’ll finally know the insides of the Condé Nast building, or the true volume of manuscripts that will never be considered for publishing. Maybe you’ll make it to the back of a professional theater. Either way you’re offering your free services for (at least) some experience and a line or two of your resumé.
When you’re not in the office you’re going to be a nanny. Twenty hours a week with a baby and boy it’ll be work. Then somewhere between all your day and night jobs you’ll want to: start reading more contemporary fiction; shut your mind off with the complete ten seasons of Beverly Hills 90210 (thank netflix!); and train for upcoming races (10K, half-marathon, marathon). But after weeks and weeks of this you’ll start to wonder when you’ll ever find the time to cook a real meal and how the hell you’ll afford to buy fleur-de-sel and bone marrow, which you need, especially now that you have all these people reading your blog!
The day after your birthday it’ll be a good idea to bring the rest of your homeade apple cider donuts into the office. This way, you can let everyone know that you don’t just like the Collected Stories of Lydia Davis, you like to cook for people. When someone asks for the recipe, scribble down your url and wait to hear what he thinks. When he enthusiastically recommends that you ‘find an angle,’ consider all the ways you might make something out of cooking and writing. Then promise to post the recipe for him.
The Best Apple Cider Donuts (and donut holes)
recipe from Smittenkitchen.com
YOU’LL NEED
1 cup apple cider
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 stick of butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
shortening for frying
For the Donuts
In a saucepan over medium or medium-low heat, gently reduce the apple cider to about 1/4 cup, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
Beat the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat until completely incorporated.Gradually add the reduced apple cider and the buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add the flour mixture and continue to mix just until the dough comes together.
Line two baking sheets with wax paper and sprinkle them generously with flour. Turn the dough onto one of the sheets and sprinkle the top with flour. Flatten the dough with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use more flour if the dough is still wet. Transfer the dough to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Pull the dough out of the freezer. Then cut your donut shapes.* Place the cut doughnuts and doughnut holes onto the second sheet pan. Refrigerate the doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes. (You may re-roll the scraps of dough, refrigerate them briefly and cut additional doughnuts from the dough.)
Add enough shortening to a deep-sided pan to measure a depth of about 3 inches. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Have ready a plate lined with several thicknesses of paper towels.
Make a Topping:
While the cut doughnut shapes are in the refrigerator, make a glaze by whisking together confectioners’ sugar and cider until the mixture is smooth;then mix cinnamon sugar together.
Fry and top the doughnuts: Carefully add a few doughnuts to the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until golden brown, about 60 seconds. Turn the doughnuts over and fry until the other side is golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Drain on paper towels for a minute after the doughnuts are fried. Dip the top of the warm doughnuts into the glaze and then cinnamon sugar mixture and serve immediately.
*Deb’s recipe, from smitten kitchen, recommends using a 3 1/2-inch round cutter for the outer shape and a 1-inch round cutter for the hole. I just used circles I found in my kitchen. The donuts were uneven but I thought they had some character this way.
ENJOY!
