Donuts with a side of Holes

 I miss the days of homemade donuts being as fast and simple as a refrigerated tube of Pillsbury dough, but honestly, I should not be complaining, because we still can enjoy donuts.  This was one of the many reasons I created my imitation/substitute Pillsbury Dough (I did modify my original "Pillsbury" recipe to fit fried donuts a bit better).  

Honestly, if you are just starting out on a Gluten Free Diet, your diet will only be as limited as you make it. All things possible with Gluten Filled Flours are possible with Gluten Free Flours; your will and creativity are going to be the primary factors in the possibilities you find in your new found world.  Only YOU construct your limits making them as constricted or non-existent as you would like.  I like to see my experience as a pass to limitless creativity in the kitchen; all boundaries removed, no rules but my own, and I am not constrained to using a list of ingredients someone else has determined as correct.  I. AM. FREE!!!  And I, AM THE BOSS!!!

Oh, I think we were on the subject of donuts.  So you have decided that you wanted a donut and if you are reading this entry, you probably live somewhere, where Gluten Free bakeries do not exist (which is most places).  Well, I promise that these donuts are a good selection for a donut, gluten free life or not.  The texture of these donuts fall between your traditional cake donut and yeast donut.  They are still soft and spongy like a yeast donut, though a bit less airy, yet not as heavy as a cake donut.  While they look more like a cake donut, I think they are closer to the yeast donut than a cake donut. There is also no distinct flavor.  I hope this recipe satisfies you as well as any of the Gluten-Filled homemade donut recipes!  (If youprefer cake donuts, see my tip marked by the * below)

You will be frying these, so you will need a 32 oz bottle of oil.  Don't go using your best olive oil, coconut oil, or even canola oil. It won't be worth it. Use your grocers cheapest oil for these. After all we ARE frying and the process 'fries' any nutrients that was in the oil to the point that there is no nutrition left in the end result.  I have a bottle that I designate as my frying oil and I use it and resuse it for donuts, corndogs, hush puppies, etc. until the color tells me it is due to be thrown away.  After each use I strain the oil as I pour it back into the bottle to remove any of the fried debris and label my bottle 'FRY'. Usually I can use the oil 4-5 times before I need to toss it.

As I was typing this entry I thought it might be a good idea to roll out my slab for donuts and then coat with butter and refrigerate for a half an hour to control the stickiness of the dough.  I will definitely have to try it this way next time we make them, but thought i might put it out on the table if anyone out there may want to try it too.

note: you will need a circle cutter about 3-3.5 inches in diameter and another about 1 inch in diameter.  If you are choosing to make holes instead of donuts, you just need a good pair of hands :o).  If you have an oil thermometer like this, consider yourself lucky; it will come in REALLY handy for these! The thermometer clips to the pan making it really easy to maintain oil temperature consistently about 375.  If not, don't fret, winging it works well too!

Donuts or Holes

1/3 cup Tapioca

1/3 cup Rice Flour

1/3 cup Sorghum Flour
1/4 cup Jello Brand Vanilla Pudding 
               sugar and fat free (this one is GFCF)
1/4 cup Sugar
1 TBSP Potato FLOUR (not starch)
2 tsp Gelatin
1 tsp Guar Gum
1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder

*  *  *  *  

2 tsp Yeast**
1/2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP Warm Water
*  *  *  *

2 TBSP Butter

2/3 cup Warm Rice Milk *
1 TBSP Vegetable Oil *

2 eggs, Room Temperature

*If you like cake donuts, decrease rice milk to 1/3 cup, OMIT the vegetable oil, and add 1/3 cup melted butter. 

1) Combine first list of ingredients (dry ingredients) in a medium mixing bowl and create a well in the middle.

2) Combine second list of ingredients in a small cereal bowl and set aside until it has thickened.

3) Combine last list of ingredients (wet ingredients) in a small mixing bowl.

4) Once yeast mixture has thickened pour wet ingredients and yeast mixture into the well of the dry ingredients. Mix 'til incorporated and then spread dough up the sides of the bowl and let rest for 5-10 mins until the dough stiffens some what (will be tempting to skip this step, but DON'T).  You will notice it become slightly less sticky, though there will still be some stickiness to it. Using a rubber spatula, scrape dough from sides of bowl and pat into a ball.

5) For Donut holes for balls by covering your hands in plastic bags or plastic gloves and rolling dough into 3/4 inch diameter balls placing them on saran wrap as you roll them.  Fry in 375 degree oil for about 10- 15 seconds on each side to start. Start one at a time until you get a hole with the right color and internal done-ness.

6) For donuts: Divide dough into 2 parts and set one aside. Between two sheets of saran wrap, roll one part of the dough into a 1/2 inch slab about 3-3.5 inches wide; a narrow strip of dough will be easier to work with. Proceed to use a 3-3.5 inch cookie/biscuit cutter (or cup if you don't have a cutter) to cut the slab into circles and then punch a hole in the middle using a smaller cutter about 1 inch in diameter.  Dough will be sticky and will likely stick to the objects. (Try not to use flour to prevent stickiness, as this will cause donuts to be heavy.  You can grease the cutters and/or spray the dough with non-stick spray to lessen the sticking. If you must use flour, use tapioca flour) I find it easiest to transfer dough one circle at a time using saran wrap rather than my fingers or a spatula.  You may find it easier to pat a ball into a 1/2 inch thick 3-3.5 inch diameter circle and then just punch a hole in middle.  

7) In a deep pan, pour 2-3 inches of oil and heat to 375 if you have a thermometer.  For a 3 inch diameter, fry 20-30 seconds on first side and then flip for another 15-20 to start.  For 3.5 inch fry 25-35 seconds on the first side followed by 20-25 on the next to start. I always start one at a time until I get the right color on the outside and the right done-ness on the inside twice in a row.  Then 3 or 4 at a time after.

8) Dust in powdered sugar or top with your favorite frosting and sprinkles.