Chocolate Cake Donuts

Even as I write up this entry, my 2 year old son is pointing at the screen wanting one of these delicious babies.  They are good, they are soooooo GOOD!!  If you have seen my other donut post, I did not go into much detail about the process to obtain a successful finished product.  SO in this post I am going to give a series of detailed pictures to let you know how to create them.  

Chocolate Cake Style Donuts

1/3 cup Tapioca

1/3 cup Rice Flour

1/3 cup Unsweetened Chocolate Powder
1/4 cup Jello Brand Chocolate 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
*  *  *  *

1/3 cup Melted Butter
1/3 cup Warm Rice Milk 

2 eggs, Room Temperature

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 sprayed with non-stick spray, 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 with a thin lip if you don't have a cutter, I used a Coca Cola cup) to cut the slab into circles and then punch a hole in the middle using a smaller cutter or a spoon (about 1 inch in diameter).  Instead of using flour to prevent stickiness, use saran wrap sprayed with non-stick spray. Flour will cause donuts to be heavy.  It is 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 (you may have to adjust your times, so be sure to check the indie of your first donuts til it is right).  For 3.5 inch fry 25-35 seconds on the first side followed by 20-25 on the next to start and likewise, check doness. 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.

   

Used a Coca Cola cup for the outside circle and rolled out dough between two sheets of saran wrap sprayed with non-stick spray.

 

Transferred donut from saran wrap to a flat surface (you can use a small plate, lid, or spatula) by lifting the saran wrap (placing my hand under the donut) and tiping it onto the surface.  Once on the lid I put the donut in the hot oil by tipping the lid upside down.  Be careful at this stage to make sure you don't get splatered by the hot oil.