Open for Business?

You may be wondering why someone who likes donuts as much as I do doesn’t open up his own donut shop. It could be called the Donut Mansion, or Donuts Forever, or something else equally clever. After all, I’m one of those literary types who knows how to put words to good use. My donut shop would feature not only donuts but also a free library, where customers could exchange one of their old books for another, as well as a DIY donut topping bar, where kids young and old can line up and squeeze out chocolate, vanilla, maple, or any other icing over their warm donut, then throw all sorts of toppings over the gooey mass. Wouldn’t that be fun?

Yeah, that would definitely be a lot of fun—but also a lot of work. While I enjoy making my own donuts from time to time, I much prefer to visit donut shops and relax with old friends. Working all night to be ready for customers at the crack of dawn sort of precludes one from being able to relax in a donut shop.

That said, here is a rundown of the donuts I’ve made myself, beginning with my very first batch of raised yeast donuts, which came out remarkably well. The key to this batch was that they were made on a warm day, which allowed the dough to proof sky-high, giving it a light and airy texture that is rare in mass-produced donuts. I made these for Mama Maple, after she gave me my very own frying skillet for my birthday a few years ago:

My very first homemade donuts

Last year, I set up the above-mentioned DIY donut bar for a large group of hungry runners who came over to my house for a long run and a special breakfast. Everyone had the chance to top their own donuts with whatever they liked—a variety of icings and toppings, including nuts, Oreo and Butterfinger crumbs, coconut, sprinkles, or nothing at all. This was pulled off with the kind help of Mrs. Newton, who rolled out the donuts and had everything ready when we got back from our run. My favorite was a maple-topped donut with Oreo crumbs.

DIY donuts—crazy as you please

A coworker gave me a recipe for pumpkin spice donuts, and I continually put off making them until, one day, the time was right. A crowd of football fans enjoyed these unusual creations—rather than donut holes, I made donut footballs. The leftovers were distributed at the office the next day, and these too received the thumbs-up. That day also saw me experiment with crullers, and after making these little morsels, I can understand why some donut shops don’t offer them—they are a lot of work!

Pumpkin donut footballs

Crullers, not bad for a first attempt

Now the time has come for my next batch of homemade donuts. On tap for this weekend are lemon cake donuts, which I’ll be making for Big B, Mr. and Mrs. Newton, and Lil’ C (who is always a harsh critic). Wish me luck—not in making the donuts, but in cleaning up the mess in my kitchen afterward.