When my mom was growing up in suburban Philadelphia in the fifties, there was one woman on her block who made homemade doughnuts to give out for Halloween each year. Her house would invariably be the first stop for all the neighborhood kids, because when they were gone, they were gone.
I always felt such envy that by the time I got old enough for trick or treating, homemade treats were a thing of the past. However, because of my mom's stories, I can't help but think of doughnuts as a item perfect for around the holidays. Just to up the level of old-timey nostalgia, after the jump is the recipe for doughnuts from the Little House on the Prairie cookbook.Doughnuts
For 2 dozen doughnuts you will need:
Lard, 2 pounds
Egg, 1
Baking soda, 1 teaspoon
Salt, 1/2 teaspoon
Sour cream, 1 cup
White Flour, 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose
Powdered sugar, a shaker full
Kettle, 2 quart; bowl, 2-quart; rolling pin; candy thermometer
Melt lard in kettle over low heat. Beat egg, baking soda and salt into the sour cream in the bowl. Beat in 1 cup of the flour until well mixed. Continue to work in flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until you have a dough that can be rolled. Roll the dough in a strip about 4 by 16 1/4 inches. With floured knife cut into 4-inch strips about 5/8 inch wide.
Heat the lard to 375 degrees. Twist a strip like a corkscrew (it will strech as you do); bring ends together and pinch them. Drop twisted dough in hot fat. In 2 minutes the dough should be brown on both sides, crips and cooked through. If browning takes less time, the fat is too hot; if it takes more than 3 minutes, the fat is not hot enough.
Remove cooked doughnut to brown paper to drain and coat it with powdered sugar. Continue twisting and cooking the remaining dough strips. Serve the doughnuts immediately.
The note just before the recipe says this:
Pure lard, unlike water, which boils away at 212 degrees, can become very hot. It is wise to take precautions against burning yourself and the food. Don't work alone, but do concentrate. Wear an apron; have hotpads handy; keep space next to the kettle clear in case it must be moved from the burner. use a candy thermometer to monitor fat temperature, and don't let it go over 400 degrees. use dry utensils; water and hot fat are an explosive mixture. If you must turn away from the fat kettle, to answer the doorbell or such, remove the kettle from the heat first.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-25-2007 @ 10:02AM
ann lemons said...
I'm old enough to remember homemade treats - and believe me, doughnuts always sounded better than they tasted, at least those I had as a kid. Very heavy and greasy, especially since they were always served at room temperature, which at Halloween time was pretty darn cool.
Now, homemade popcorn balls - that was worth a trek all the way across town, but they always ran out very quickly.
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10-25-2007 @ 10:10AM
jsmylie said...
Homemade halloween treats of any kind are grand, UNLESS you're an ungrateful little snot like I was. "No snickers? Boooo!"
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10-25-2007 @ 3:44PM
Muffin said...
I grew up in the country, and all the older women on my street always made their own treats to give out to trick or treaters. They would even include a little sticker on the baggie that said "made with love in the kitchen of-xxxx" and it would say their name and address, just incase the parent was curious.
...but these were the same older women that were giving out home made treats to my parents when they were kids, and everyone knew everyone else, so it felt safer. And there was even a woman down the road that would invite the trick or treaters into her home and give a guided ghost tour, and at the end of the tour all the kids got hot apple cider and fresh made donuts! how weird is that.
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10-25-2007 @ 4:25PM
Julie said...
I love doughnuts at halloween time especially washed down with some fresh pressed cider. My mother never made doughnuts, she preferred making caramel apples. My aunt on the other hand made these fabulous sweet milk doughnuts which are perfect for halloween. Here is a link that includes the recipe: http://noshtalgia.blogspot.com/2007/07/day-at-casino.html
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10-25-2007 @ 9:22PM
Marisa Small said...
I love all the trips down memory lane! In my small neighborhood (albeit rural) we enjoyed homemade rice krispy bars etc. But at my house we were FAMOUS for the candied apples. I still insist on making them, but usually only the adults choose them. Lots of fun and memories this time of year!
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10-26-2007 @ 9:12AM
Adriane said...
My family and I make homemade doughnuts every once in a while (usually around this time)...they are SO delicious. It's all about the oil! It needs to be clean clean and the perfect temp- too hot equals neven cooking, too low means grease-soden. Otherwise, you get the kind of doughnuts Ann L. mentioned. Blech!
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10-27-2007 @ 3:27PM
Christy said...
Goodness! We all have fond food memories from childhood back when it was safe to go trick-or-treating and accepting homemade treats from neighbors(and I'm only 32). What memories will our kids have?!
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