Old-fashioned treats
My last minute attempt to include this post for the Time To Make Doughnuts! hosted by Tartelette and Peabody. I swear not to make this last minute post regularly!
What I made yesterday were Orange Drop Doughnuts. My doughnuts’ recipe came from an old-time recipe which belongs to a type of cake doughnuts rather than yeasted doughnuts. This type of doughnuts were popular during the late 1800s because of the popularity of baking powder. Why is it called drop doughnuts? It has to do with the way you drop the dough by spoonsful instead of rolling and stamping it. This meant the doughnuts can be eaten quickly while it’s still warm from the deep-fryer. No more rolling and stamping. There’re many flavors of drop doughnuts and quickly this trend became popular everywhere that Betty Crocker cookbooks and magazine started featuring a recipe called orange drop doughnuts. The original recipe called for much more flour, less orange zest and resulted in heavy doughnuts. This recipe has been changed a bit but the flavor was very good with a subtle yet there orange flavor (I didn’t change it, someone else did and I was glad she did it).
At first I was thinking of making baked doughnuts but as of Sunday I didn’t have the motivation to do it hence this recipe which proved to be so quick and easy I didn’t mind frying them at all. They’re tender (if you don’t mix the dough too much) and crispy with the right amount of sweetness and smelled very orangy sweet. To me, these doughnuts represent homemade goodness, anything fancy I might as well buy it! 
Orange Drop Doughnuts
Makes 24 to 30
Orange-sugar coating
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Doughnuts
About 2 quarts vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the coating: Pulse sugar and zest in food processor until blended, about 5 pulses. Transfer to medium bowl. (If making by hand, toss zest and sugar in medium bowl using fork until evenly blended).
For the doughnuts: Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil in 4-quart saucepan until temperature reaches 350 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, and orange zest in large bowl. Whisk in orange juice, then butter, until well combined. Stir in flour mixture until evenly moistened.
Using two dinner teaspoons, carefully drop heaping spoonsfuls of batter into hot oil. (You should be able to fit about 6 spoonsfuls in pan at one time. Do not overcrowd.) Fry, maintaining temperature between 325 to 350 degress, until doughnuts are crisp and deeply browned on all side, 3 to 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to plate lined with paper towels. Drain for 5 minutes. Add doughnuts to bowl with orange sugar and toss until well coated. Place on serving plate and repeat with remaining batter, regulating oil temperature as necessary. Doughnuts are best served warm.
Source: Cook’s Country, August/September 2005
These look and sound delicious!
fortunately they are
Comment by Deborah — February 12, 2008 @ 4:40 pm
With orange, how delicious! Love the idea of adding orange zest to the sugar for coating.
i know…i love anything orange, so this is perfect for me.
Comment by linda — February 13, 2008 @ 2:11 am
Orange drop donuts sound delightful!
thanks Brilynn, they’re!
Comment by brilynn — February 13, 2008 @ 4:07 pm
Saw so many doughnut shops back in Singapore. Well, if you know how to make doughnuts, there’s really no need for queuing, esp when you are in for a sugar rush! HA!
hey yeah…especially with this recipe, too easy to succumb to sugar rush!
Comment by tigerfish — February 13, 2008 @ 9:23 pm
I could seriously smell these doughnuts – What memories of my childhood …..thank you for the trip down memory lane.
glad you could be happy just by stopping by here
Comment by Nina — February 14, 2008 @ 7:53 am
Thanks for dropping by om my site, eliza..
Comment by Nina — February 14, 2008 @ 8:35 pm
These look so tasty and I love the use of the orange.
Thanks for participating.
thanks Peabody!
Comment by peabody — February 16, 2008 @ 2:20 am
These are what I made and they are so yummy. You took much better photos and actually made them LOOK yummy!
it’s amazing, from a few dozen people we picked the same doughnut recipe!
Comment by Mrs. L — February 16, 2008 @ 5:13 pm
I have always been so intimidated to make donuts but this looks like something I could do. Thank you!
go ahead and try it, this was sooo easy!
Comment by Noble Pig — February 17, 2008 @ 9:22 am
These look and sound just delicious. Wonderful submission!
thanks Gretchen!
Comment by Gretchen Noelle — February 17, 2008 @ 4:22 pm
Ps…you’ve been tagged.
all righty Nina…I have to get to work on it then
Comment by Nina — February 17, 2008 @ 8:43 pm
Oh, Liz!! I am sooo making these – with orange, how can I resist?
ooh yeahh…
Comment by Patricia Scarpin — February 18, 2008 @ 11:31 am
Ngiler iiih….
Udah kebayang rasa gulanya yang crunchy dan bau orangenya…Liz, gue bakalan sebulet donat nih deh keliatannya…:p
bener tuh, lagi panas2 makan ini aduh enak banget, lupa deh diet
Comment by Trish — February 19, 2008 @ 3:20 am
I love doughnuts and this recipe is really worth trying since I love oranges. I’d love to have this for breakfast
do try it! hope you’ll like it
Comment by Anne — February 21, 2008 @ 6:58 am