Beer Doughnuts

Photo: flickr user Erik Charlton

Preparation

Makes 6 regular doughnuts, or 24 miniature doughnuts

Here's a version of Jon Graber's beer doughnuts. It's adapted from a recipe which also sells a convenient doughnut mix and baking pans for regular or miniature doughnuts. The pans look like muffin pans with impressions for making the holes in the doughnuts.

1/4 cup butter (see note)

1 cup cake flour1/2 cup granulated sugar1 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (fresh ground is best)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/4 teaspoon salt3 tablespoons dried buttermilk powder2 eggs6 tablespoons amber ale (IPA, India Pale Ale, adds a nice bite)

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter and let cool. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and buttermilk powder together in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter and beer until well-blended.

Grease the doughnut pan (or a muffin pan with 6 miniature Bundt cups) with a generous amount of butter or vegetable shortening. Pour the liquid blend into the dry ingredients all at once, and mix just until blended (do not over-mix, or the doughnuts will be tough).

Fill each doughnut form half-full. Bake on the middle rack for 8 to 9 minutes for miniature doughnuts, 9 to 12 minutes for regular-size doughnuts. The doughnuts should not be browned on top. Remove pan from oven, let cool for a minute, remove from pan and roll in powdered sugar.

Note: Use real butter or stick margarine. Do not substitute reduced-fat spreads; their higher water content often yields less-satisfactory results.