Quick Doughnuts

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 4 minutes per batch Makes: 18-20 doughnut holes

These giant doughnut holes don’t require rising, resting or shaping.

Doughnuts:

3 cups flour 1⁄4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon ground mace

4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 egg 1 cup apple cider

1 quart ghee (shelved near the oil) or canola oil

Topping:

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and mace. In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, egg and cider. Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix with a wooden spoon just until a thick dough comes together.

Test: In a heavy pot at least 3 inches deep, heat 2 inches of ghee (or oil) to 350 degrees. Using a 1 1⁄2-inch diameter icecream scoop, scoop up a generous ball of dough and drop it in. Cook, 4 minutes. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Wait 1 minute. Cut in half. If done, you’re good to go. If not, add 1 minute cooking time to your next batch.

Fry: Scoop balls of dough into hot ghee (or oil) without crowding. Fry, rotating spheres now and then, until deep brown outside and cooked through inside (4 or 5 minutes, depending on your test doughnut). Repeat, frying all doughnuts .

Shake: In a paper sack, shake together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Drop in doughnuts a few at a time, and shake to coat. Munch while warm.