30. FRYING DOUGHNUTS AND CRULLERS.

--After the doughnuts have been cut in the desired
shape, the next step is to fry them. The equipment required for this process consists of a pan or a kettle
into which the fat is put, a long-handled frying basket into which the doughnuts are placed, and a
receptacle containing hot water into which the doughnuts can be dipped after being fried. Put into the
kettle a sufficient amount of fat, which may be any vegetable fat or oil, to cover the doughnuts well,
allow it to become hot enough to brown an inch cube of bread in 40 seconds, place several doughnuts in
the bottom of the basket, as shown in Fig. 22, and then lower the basket into the hot fat, when it will be
found that the doughnuts will rise quickly to the top of the fat. Allow them to brown on one side and
then turn them over with a fork and let them brown on the other side. Be careful not to let the fat become
too hot during the frying, or the doughnuts will become darker than is desirable before the inside is
cooked. If it is found that the fat is getting too hot, turn off some of the heat or remove the deep-fat
kettle from the excessive heat.
31.
As soon as the doughnuts have become an
even brown on both sides and have fried through
thoroughly, lift the basket out of the fat and rest
it on the edge of the frying kettle. Then, as
shown in Fig. 23, remove the doughnuts one at a
time from the basket with a fork and dip quickly
into the pan of boiling water and remove again at
once. Dipping the doughnuts into boiling water
removes any excessive fat that may remain on
the surface. Upon taking them from the water,
place them, as in Fig. 24, on a piece of paper that
will absorb as much of the remaining fat as
possible. When these precautions are taken, the
doughnuts will be found to be less greasy and
not so likely to disagree with the persons who eat
them. After the surface has become dried, the
doughnuts may be improved by sprinkling them
with pulverized or granulated sugar.
32.
If a large number of doughnuts are made
and the hot-water method of drying them is adopted, it will be found that considerable fat will remain in
the water. It will therefore pay to allow the fat to become cool and remove it from the surface of the


water. Fat in which doughnuts and crullers are fried, after being poured from the dregs that collect in
the bottom and reheated, may be clarified by adding several slices of raw potato to it and allowing these
to become brown in it. This treatment will remove any foreign taste that the fat may have and make it
possible to use the fat again for frying purposes. Fat in which croquettes have been fried may be treated
in the same way and used the second time.
33. RECIPES FOR DOUGHNUTS.
--A variety of doughnuts that are made light by means of
chemical leavening can be prepared, as the following recipes indicate. Sometimes yeast doughnuts are
preferred, so a recipe for doughnuts of this kind is also given. If the directions previously given are
carefully applied in carrying out any of these recipes, excellent results may be expected. Some persons
are prejudiced against the use of doughnuts, claiming that they are indigestible. While this may be true
of doughnuts improperly made, those made of good materials and by correct methods are always a
favorite and justly so.