Tuesday Tease: Old-fashioned Doughnuts

Lara Ferroni shoots beautiful photographs. The picture above is not one of hers, it's mine taken on the counter with horrible lighting and (apparently) a shaky hand. Oh well.

The doughnuts, however, are Lara's recipe...and my third attempt to make old-fashioned doughnuts that were at all photogenic. (Note to doughnut photographers: recipes with lots of cinnamon taste wonderful but the photos are awful!)

After a twitter discussion left me in search of the secret to old-fashioned doughnuts, Lara was kind enough to give me a preview of the old-fashioned recipe from her upcoming cookbook Doughnuts: Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home. My conclusion: they are dangerously tasty.

The balance of dough stiffness and oil temperature needed to produce those cracks and crags was a bit tricky to figure out -- and the doughnuts that stayed smooth tasted wonderful so wasn't a loss -- but I got it! They say the third time's the charm, right? (Am I the only person who wishes "they," whoever they are, would say something new?)

I am also pleased to announce I have conquered my fear of frying. 

Have you ever made doughnuts? Does the thought of deep-frying have you cowering in a corner? What should I fry next?