Here's a belated fall favorite and a somewhat unofficial installment in this series. I knew certain states would be trickier than others prior to starting 50 Tastes. I guess New Hampshire is no exception! But by using some other state context clues and a beloved American classic, I think the apple cider donuts are a rather fitting dessert for the New England state.
Long time no see! If you're reading this post around the time it was shared, you're probably wondering why I'm discussing the history of apple cider donuts now. Wouldn't you know, these donuts were in fact made at the start of fall of 2022, but wouldn't you also know how stressful the holidays can be. Especially when you work in a bakery around Christmas time. Now that my sleeping schedule is somewhat back to normal, I hope to post more regularly!
To kick off 2023, let's talk about New Hampshire's dessert. From my brief time spent here in NH and the research I've done, there doesn't appear to be any dessert strongly associated with the state. They do, however, have an official state beverage! Apple cider has a rich history across the globe, but the non-alcoholic counterpart of the same name is definitely an American classic. Putting one and two together, I figured apple cider donuts would be rather fitting for the state, despite being heavily associated with all of New England. Nevertheless, I was rather surprised to discover the rather modern history this fall favorites hold. And perhaps you'll feel the same.
Spiced Apple Cider Donuts
(Dough)(Topping)(Instructions)
Dough
2 1/2 cups apple cider
6 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
Topping
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
Bring the apple cider to a boil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Boil until it has reduced to 1/3 cup and is thick and syrupy, approx. 10 minutes.
Cut 6 tablespoons unsalted butter into 6 pieces. Place 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set both aside.
When the cider is reduced, add it to a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and whisk until melted and combined. Add brown sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/3 cup cold buttermilk, and 2 large eggs. Whisk until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the cider mix and fold together with a rubber spatula until combined, be careful not to over-mix.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to thoroughly chill the dough. Meanwhile, prepare the topping by placing the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1 cup granulated sugar in a wide, shallow bowl and stir to combine.
Toward the end of the chilling time, fill a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot with vegetable oil (at least 1 1/2 inches full). Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350ºF. Meanwhile, fit a wire rack onto a baking sheet.
Generously flour both your work surface and another baking sheet, and place your chilled dough onto it. Dust the top of the dough with flour and roll the dough out until 1/2-inch thick. Cut doughnuts out with a floured doughnut cutter (or use 2 round cutters, about 3 and 1 inch in diameter). Transfer the doughnuts and doughnut holes to the floured baking sheet before gathering and re-rolling the scraps.
Fry in batches of 4 doughnuts, or whatever best fits your pot. Gently place the doughnuts in the oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed and golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Use a slotted spoon to gently remove the doughnuts from the hot oil and let the excess drip off. Place on the wire rack.
Once the batch is fried, immediately place the doughnuts one at a time in the cinnamon sugar topping and toss until well-coated. Return to the wire rack or transfer to a serving tray. Repeat the process with the remaining donuts and donut holes.
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