For some people, every day is doughnut day. In fact, a day wouldn’t be complete without a doughnut or one of its colleagues–the cruller, bismark or long john. An entire industry has sprung up–Dunkin’ Donuts, Mr. Donut and a variety of lesser-known establishments–to salute this beacon of sugary fried dough and without any qualms about spelling it right. (“Donut” is in the dictionary, but only as a colloquial alternative.)
Which brings us to the doughnut day to end all doughnut days: the Salvation Army’s Donut (there we go again) Day. Singular title, two days–this year, Friday and Saturday.
Doughnuts have a long history and where they originated is debatable. But the Army’s strong link to them began–as sort of a mistake–during World War I. Salvation Army workers had set up rest centers along the front lines in France–to supply moral support, mend uniforms and make pies. Except they couldn’t make pies: They only had provisions to make the crust. Finally, says Robert Bonesteel, communications director for the Salvation Army’s Metropolitan Division in Chicago, someone decided to scratch the pie idea and make do with what they had. The result: doughnuts.
They were a big hit. And, in a way, the Salvation Army owes as much to the doughnut as the doughnut owes to it.
“Really, that was the beginning of the popularity of the Salvation Army with the American public,” Bonesteel says.
The army has maintained that link with Donut Day, which began in Chicago in 1938. (Though the army has launched it in other cities, it’s most successful in Chicago.)
Sixty years ago, the tag day had the dual purpose of raising money for the organization and honoring those WWI Salvation Army workers.
Today, Donut Day contributions fund many programs, while giving the army a high profile six months before those holiday bells start ringing in front of department stores.
“It’s a midyear reminder that the army is not just a Christmastime organization,” Bonesteel says.
This week, about 5,000 volunteers will collect donations for programs that include its emergency disasters program (canteens are set up at large fires and natural disasters such as floods and tornadoes, offering food to relief workers and victims); financial emergency assistance; and its emergency shelter on the North Side for families.
The goal this year is $300,000. For your donation, you’ll be handed a paper doughnut.
That was a smart move. Paper doughnuts offend no one: Doughnut devotees get a day that celebrates a beloved foodstuff, doughnut haters know their charitable contribution will not burden them with a sticky-sweet pastry when what they really want is a slice of buttered raisin toast.
Of course, there are those who would like their cake doughnut and eat it too. No problem: The tag gets you six free doughnuts when you buy a dozen at Dunkin’ Donuts.
And if you’ve got a hankering for homemade, the army sent us a recipe from 1938 that makes 250 doughnuts, which seems excessive even for doughnut nuts. Plus, it uses lard and “3 large cans water,” whatever that means.
So we’re offering a kinder, gentler doughnut recipe, with variations.
So there’s no excuse not to celebrate Donut Day. Even if you do it with a stack of flapjacks.
TENDER SPICED DOUGHNUTS
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Chilling time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes per batch
Yield: 18 doughnuts and doughnut holes
1 large baking potato, cooked, mashed, 1 cup
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon each: salt, ground ginger, vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Confectioners’ sugar, optional
Cider glaze or chocolate frosting, recipes follow, optional
1. Put mashed potato into large bowl of electric mixer. Add 3 1/2 cups of the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, ginger, vanilla, nutmeg and pepper. With mixer on low speed, add butter, milk and eggs. Mix just until all of the ingredients are moistened and butter is blended in. Gently stir in a little more flour as needed to make a soft–but not sticky–dough. Refrigerate dough 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, pour oil to a depth of 3 inches in a 6-quart Dutch oven or deep-fryer. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350 degrees using a deep-fry thermometer. Adjust heat as needed to maintain oil temperature during frying.
3. Turn dough out onto well-floured surface. Roll gently with floured rolling pin to a 1/3-inch thickness. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter or with a 3-inch round biscuit cutter and a 1/2-inch round cutter in the middle to make the holes. Gently reroll scraps to make more doughnuts, or fry scraps in free-form shapes.
4. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to add doughnuts to the hot oil. Fry doughnuts, about 4 at a time, turning often, until nicely puffed and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a rack set over paper towels. Repeat to fry all doughnuts.
5. While still warm, sprinkle doughnuts with confectioners’ sugar, or cool and dip in cider glaze or spread with chocolate frosting.
Cider glaze: Mix 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice or cider, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 2 1/2 to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar to make a thin glaze. Dip cooled doughnuts into the glaze to coat; let dry on wire rack set over a plate.
Chocolate frosting: Melt 4 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate in microwave oven on low (30 percent power) or in top of double boiler. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons each softened unsalted butter and milk. Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar to make a thick frosting. Spread over tops of cooled doughnuts.
Apple-cinnamon variation: Omit ginger from recipe and replace it with 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. After dough has chilled 15 minutes, gently work in 1 cup finely chopped peeled apple. Cut into doughnut shapes or into triangles. Fry as directed. Glaze with cider glaze if desired.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………. 270 Fat ………. 15 g% calories from fat .. 50
Cholesterol ….. 30 mg Sodium ….. 215 mg Carbohydrates …… 30 g
Protein ……….. 4 g
