Deep-Fried Caramel-Glazed Pumpkin Doughnuts

Deep-Fried Caramel-Glazed Pumpkin Doughnuts

Makes: about 24 doughnuts and holes

Doughnuts are meant to be fried.  That's all I have to say about that.

Dough
Whisk together the dry ingredients:
3 1/2 c. cake flour 
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves

Blend the wet ingredients:
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 c. sugar
1 large egg + 2 yolks
2 T. melted butter
2 t. vanilla
1 T. cider vinegar
1/2 c. heavy cream

Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour the wet ingredients into the well and blend with a large fork.  Dough will look and feel like a sticky bread dough.

Generously flour your rolling surface, then lightly knead flour (only as much as necessary) into the dough until you can pat it into a 1/2" thick slab  (I chose to work with about 1/3 of the dough at a time, and covered the rest).

Cut out your doughnuts - I used a high ball glass and a shot glass...the ratios were perfect.  

Heat the oil in your fryer to about 350-375 degrees, which is optimal for doughnuts.  Remember that the dough expands as it cooks, so be sure to leave plenty of space and not overload your fryer.  Fry to a deep golden brown on each side, drain briefly on a paper towel. 

Using tongs, dip in Caramel Glaze, then drain on a cooling rack.  

Caramel Glaze
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, then whisk in additional ingredients 1 at a time:
1/2 c. butter  
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. powdered sugar 

**Alternately, you can coat the warm doughnuts with cinnamon sugar for an equally excellent result!