English donuts bring carnival flavors with an easy recipe twist
The carnival sweets season is gaining momentum every day and will peak on Fat Thursday, which falls on February 27th this year. If you're looking for a recipe for lighter and quicker-to-make donuts, English recipes might be the way to go.
Carnival sweets are generally fried in fat, and donuts are the most popular. We've discussed the Romanian approach to this treat, but it's also worth knowing how the English prepare them. Their method for this delicacy is exceptionally simple.
Dough for traditional donuts
Traditional donuts, which we enjoy during carnival, are made with yeast dough. The essential ingredients include flour, eggs, butter, milk, sugar, and yeast. Preparation begins with dissolving the yeast in warm milk with added sugar to activate it.
Next, the dough needs to be properly kneaded and set aside to rise. Then, you start forming and filling the donuts, allowing them to rise again. Only then are they fried in deep fat. Mistakes can be made at each stage, which can undo all your previous work.
A simple way to make donuts
For this reason, not everyone dares to make traditional homemade donuts. However, their taste is hugely tempting, leading to a rise in simplified recipes for this delicacy. The English approach involves minimal effort, with delicious and easy-to-make donuts, even for beginner bakers. This simplicity is mainly because there's no need to knead the yeast dough.
They resemble cheese rings
English donuts resemble well-known cheese rings. They are based on dairy, using homogenized cheese instead of cottage cheese. However, these donuts are much more delicate and lighter and don't require filling. Sprinkles and glazes are often used with them.
English donuts
Ingredients:
- 11 oz of homogenized cheese (you can also use vanilla),
- 3 eggs,
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour,
- 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder,
- 1 pinch of salt,
- vanilla sugar to taste,
- zest of one lemon to taste.
Additionally:
- oil for frying,
- powdered sugar for serving,
- cinnamon to taste (optional).
Preparation method:
- Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the cheese, and mix with a whisk; there's no need to use a mixer.
- Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Finally, add the lemon zest. Mix again to create a uniform dough.
- Drop teaspoons of the dough into the hot oil.
- Fry for about 8 minutes; the donuts will turn over independently.
- Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels when they reach a golden color.
- Once they've cooled slightly, sprinkle with powdered sugar mixed with cinnamon.
