Bacon Doughnuts

What does bacon do to you?  Does it make your heart skip and mouth water?  Does its salty scent sing in your nose and give you an uncontrollable urge to slick just a little piece?  It does all that to me.  Every bit of it.  Not all bacon mind you, some of it really is disappointing, the generic junk at the store.  No, I always spend quite a bit on my bacon, because honestly, I figure it is one of those go big or go home situations.  There is no point in not satisfying the craving with sad filler.  

The only exception to that is the paper thin awful-on-its-own stuff Tim Hortons sticks on their BLTs.  I love that sandwich.  I secretly always hope they slather it with mayo and load it with bacon, that’s sick isn’t it?  I believe it’s because it’s what I really want to do with my own sandwich, but can not bring myself to do out of fear of public humiliation and guilt.  I’m supposed to hate mayo, isn’t that how the story goes?

A few weeks back I glanced at the TV while I was at work and saw Guy from DD&D, you know?  The one with the awful hair that I am insanely jealous of?  Yeah, that guy.  Well all I saw in my quick peek was a doughnut getting coated in glaze and then bacon.  Yes, doughnuts, sugar and bacon.  In one mouthful.  It’s been in my head ever since.  So I did something about it, and made these, bacon doughnuts.  

They were awesome.  Perfect yeasted doughnut texture and a wonderful (obviously) bacon flavour.  The only thing I failed on was the glaze, mine didn’t stick as thick as I would have liked.  But that’s just another reason to fry up a batch.  

Bacon Doughnuts

I used a recipe from the sophisticated gourmet who got it from a book called Doughnuts by Lara Ferroni, so the credit needs to go all the way back to her.

15 g (2 T) dry active yeast

3/4 c whole milk warmed to 110 degrees

90 g (3/4 c) bread flour

1/4 whole milk, room temperature

7 g (1 T) dry active yeast

30 g (2 T) superfine sugar

1/2 t salt

1 t vanilla

3 egg yolks, room temperature

1 1/4  - 1 3/4 c bread flour (I used 2 c)

60 g (1/4 c) butter at room temperature

In a medium bowl dissolve 2 T yeast in warmed milk.  Add the flour to make a paste and let sit, covered with a towel for 30 minutes.

Combine the second dose of milk (1/4 c) and 1 T yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment.  Add the rested yeast mixture (the first step) along with sugar, salt, vanilla and egg yolks.  Mix until smooth.  Turn off mixer and add 1/2 c of flour, then mix for 30 seconds.  Add the butter and mix until it incorporates about 30 more seconds.  Switch to a dough hook and add flour 1/4 c at a time with the mixer turned off, kneading at medium speed between additions, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl completely and is smooth and not to sticky.  It will be moist but not so that it can not be rolled out.  You may have some flour left over or you may need extra.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours (At least one and up to twelve)  

Turn your deep fryer (or pot of oil) onto 360 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with a lightly floured towel.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thick.  With cookie cutters cut out 3 inch rounds with 1 inch round holes in the middle (unless your planning to stuff the doughnuts, then skip the hole).  

Place the doughnuts on the baking sheet and lightly cover in plastic wrap.  Let rest for 5-20 minutes until they are almost doubled in size.  To test wether the dough is done, touch lightly with a fingertip.  If it springs back immediately it needs more time, if it springs back slowly it is ready.  

Carefully place the doughnuts in the oil and fry 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown.  Then transfer to a wire rack to cool.  

Glaze:

1 1/2 c icing sugar

3 - 4 T water

2 t vanilla

Measure sugar into bowl.  Add water and vanilla a little at a time to make a smooth glaze.  

For the bacon I just fried a few slices on low until really crispy and the let them cool before chopping them up finely.