Laurie has the week off, so I’ve been tackling many important projects. Today, for example, I needed some new socks, so I went downtown and did some writing, got some noodles at Noodle Zone, bought some shirts for Iris, and came home and realized I forgot the socks. Truly I am a [productivity maven](http://www.43folders.com).
For afternoon snack, however, I was truly productive: I produced homemade donuts. I used the buttermilk cake donut recipe from Baking Illustrated, with a couple of changes. First, because I keep hearing people from the Northeast rave about apple cider donuts, I replaced some of the buttermilk with apple cider. Second, because I have a tub of soft and delectable leaf lard, I used a higher lard-to-shortening ratio than Cook’s recommends. And I used trans fat-free Crisco, so this was practically health food.
We got a cute little donut cutter at Pike Place Market, and it cut out delightful little donuts, much smaller than coffeeshop donuts but bigger than Hostess Donettes. We also used a small biscuit cutter to make some big donut holes. The Thermapen made it easy to monitor the oil temperature. Nobody caught fire.
We dipped some of the donuts in cinnamon sugar and left some plain. They were crunchy, light, and delicious. I couldn’t taste the apple cider, but I drank some cider with the donuts. Next time, however, I need to make them for a crowd, because a lot of cooking fat went to waste. Presumably I won’t go wanting if I put out an APB for donut eaters.
These were almost as good as the best donuts in Seattle, which are available at some of [Tom Douglas](http://www.tomdouglas.com/)’s restaurants (Lola and Dahlia; Palace Kitchen has churros instead). Iris and I have gone for breakfast at Lola a couple of times. The first time she was less than one year old, and she only got a bite of donut and a bottle. The staff was impressed with her patience.
The Douglas donuts are really donut holes, made to order and shaken in a bag with cinnamon-sugar, then served with jam and vanilla mascarpone. Maybe I should serve those at my donut party.
Those doughnuts looks incredible. I have a longstanding desire to master making my own doughnuts (I don’t know why – it’s not like I eat them all the time), and these look pretty perfect.
Thanks! Everyone should check out Luisa’s blog, [The Wednesday Chef](http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com). It’s one of my favorites.
Hey Mamster – Please let me know where you get leaf lard locally (if you do get it locally). Been wanting to try it out for pie crusts for a while. Thanks!
LAA
I got it at the U District Farmer’s Market, from Skagit River Ranch. I had to ask one week and pick it up the next week, and I had to render it myself. The woman I bought it from assumed I was a pastry chef, so I suspect quite a lot of their leaf fat ends up in pie crusts.
It’s wonderful stuff; I use it all the time.
I have been on a mad search for a receipe for the kalamata olive doughnuts served at Lola since a trip to Seattle early last year. Not living anywhere near Seattle (Milwaukee, WI)going to Lola to fix my craving is not an option. Any idea on how they make these?
Kristin, I wish I knew. I can tell you that Lola is at (206) 441-1430.