Salted Caramel Doughnut Holes Recipes

DOUGHNUT HOLES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a small saucepot set over medium heat, add the sugar, corn syrup, 1/4 cup water and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt and cook until the sugar starts to bubble and turn brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the saucepot from the heat. Add the heavy cream slowly and carefully to the caramel mixture (it will bubble up). When the bubbling slows, stir with a wooden spoon and add 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Let cool enough to taste, taste and add more salt if necessary.
• For the doughnuts: Combine the cottage cheese, flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, salt, eggs and orange zest, and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepot set over medium-high heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
• Scoop the dough using two spoons to make one tester ball, then carefully drop it in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly and taste, then add more granulated sugar and orange zest to the dough if desired. One at a time, scoop the remaining dough into balls (6 to 8 total) and carefully drop into the oil. Fry, turning occasionally to ensure all sides cook evenly, until golden brown and floating, about 4 minutes.
• Remove the doughnut holes from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a paper-towel-lined-plate to absorb any excess oil.
• Transfer the doughnut holes to a platter and dust them with confectioners' sugar. Serve with the caramel sauce on the side.

SALTED CARAMEL GLAZED DOUGHNUT HOLES

Steps:

• While you begin to put together the batter for the doughnut holes, pour the vegetable oil in the deep fryer and begin to heat it according to manufacturer's instructions. It won't take you long to prepare the batter.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the doughnut holes (flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, vanilla extract, salt, egg, milk and melted butter). Blend with a handheld mixer or wooden spoon until all the ingredients until well mixed.
• Your oil should be ready now. When the oil is ready place teaspoon sized scoops of the doughnut hole batter into the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes on both sides or until golden brown on both sides. Remove from oil when finished and place on paper towels to absorb all the excess oil. Repeat this process until all the batter is gone.
• Note about the salted caramel: You can buy salted caramel sauce already made, or you can make your own sauce, or you can buy regular caramel sauce and add 2 teaspoons of sea salt to the 3/4 cup of caramel that is required for this glaze. You can add more salt if that isn't enough balance of salt and sweet for you.
• Preparing the glaze: In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, salted caramel sauce, and milk and stir until smooth. As your doughnut holes cool off, place them in the glaze and then on a cooling rack. I dipped my doughnut holes in the glaze twice. If you have enough feel free to do the same thing. Repeat this process until the holes are completely covered.

SALTED CARAMEL DOUGHNUT HOLES

Steps:

• Add the pastry cream and 1 cup of the salted caramel sauce to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, creamy and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. Can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance.
• Pour the milk into the bowl of a standing mixer, and sprinkle in the sugar and yeast. Stir to combine and then let sit for about 5 minutes to let the yeast begin to come alive. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, melted butter, vanilla, lemon zest, and nutmeg.
• Fit your mixer with the dough hook, add 5 cups of the all-purpose flour and mix on low speed (speed number 2 on a KitchenAid Mixer) until the dough begins to come together. Slowly add enough of the remaining cup of flour so that the dough comes together into a soft, slightly sticky ball. Depending on the humidity in the air, this might take the entire remaining cup or only a bit of it. What you're looking for is a soft, smooth ball of dough that clings to the dough hook, and does not stick to the sides of the bowl, but does stick slightly to the bottom of the bowl. If you stop the mixer and touch the dough, it should feel slightly sticky, but not so wet as to be confused with cookie dough.
• Once the dough has come together, sprinkle in the salt. Continue to knead in the mixer for about 8-10 minutes. The dough should look very soft and smooth.
• Butter a large bowl and dump the dough into the bowl. Butter a piece plastic wrap (or spray with non-stick spray) and use it to cover the bowl. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours, until it has doubled in size.
• Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• After the dough has risen, dump it out of the bowl onto a clean work surface and divide in half. Keep half covered while working with the other half. Divide the half portion of dough into 26 pieces and roll between your palms into golf ball sized balls. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet, spaced at least 1-inch apart. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with non-stick baking spray and cover the dough. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
• Allow the doughnut holes to rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, about 45 min to 1 hour.
• Heat a fryer to 375 degrees, OR pour enough vegetable oil into a large, deep saucepan to come up the sides 3 or 4 inches, and heat the oil to 350 degrees. Fry the doughnut holes, 6-8 at a time, for about 3 minutes, until a deep golden brown, using a slotted spoon to gently flip from side to side to encourage even browning. If large bubbles appear in the dough that prevent the doughnut holes from flipping over, use a sharp knife to gently pierce the bubble. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to paper towels to drain. Do your best to keep the temperature of the oil between 360-375 degrees.
• Let the doughnuts cool completely before filling with salted caramel pastry cream.
• Fit a pastry bag with a round or star tip and fill the bag with pastry cream. Insert the tip into the side of each doughnut hole and squeeze in some pastry cream, until you see the sides of the doughnut hole expand a bit. When you remove the piping tip from the doughnut hole, a bit of pastry cream should seep outside, which is how you know you've filled them enough.
• Drizzle the tops of the doughnut holes with additional room temperature salted caramel sauce and serve.