Schardé's Sweet Teeth: Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee

Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee from Schardé Vallone on Vimeo.

            As a broadcast journalism student, I am required to participate in the university's news program. I have the opportunity to not only produce content, but also to anchor, produce, and help out behind the scenes.
            At the beginning of the semester, I decided to create a segment for the program called "Schardé's Sweet Teeth" in which I feature local bakeries and desserts. The title comes from the fact that I have such a sweet tooth, I must have more than one! Get it...?
            Here is the latest package I shot - enjoy! 

Vanilla-Scented Doughnut Holes

2 c. flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/3 c. sugar

Grated zest of 1 small lemon

2 eggs

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/4 c. water

Vegetable oil for frying

3/4 c. vanilla sugar* in a shallow bowl, for coating the doughnuts

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingertips until the sugar becomes moist and fragrant. Whisk in the eggs, vegetable oil, and water.
3. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix them together with a rubber spatula until everything comes together in a smooth mixture.
4. Fill a small pot with about two inches of vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. You can tell if the oil is ready by dropping a tiny piece of the dough into the pot—if it immediately begins sizzle, then the oil is hot enough.
5. Using a small ice-cream scoop or two spoons, gently drop rounded portions of dough into the oil. Be sure not to overcrowd the pot. (If you’d like, you can roll the dough into neat spheres between slightly floured palms. Personally, I don’t mind irregularly shaped doughnuts.)
6. Cook the doughnuts until they are golden brown and cooked through, being sure to carefully flip them every so often so they don’t brown too much on one side. It should take about two minutes per side.
7. Take the doughnuts out of the oil and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel to blot off the excess oil. Quickly transfer the doughnuts to the bowl of vanilla sugar. Roll them around to coat, making sure they’re fully covered in sugar. These doughnuts are delicious both fresh from the oil and after they’ve cooled and set for a few hours.

*Vanilla sugar is simply granulated white sugar that has been marinating with a split vanilla bean until it becomes flavored and fragrant. It takes at least a couple of weeks. I keep a small jar of it in my pantry—when I start to run low, I simply top it off with more sugar and give it a good stir. If you’re in a pinch, you can place sugar in a food processor with a bit of the vanilla bean seeds and process until combined. These doughnuts would also be perfectly fine with plain granulated sugar. Conversely, you can stir in about a teaspoon of cinnamon into the sugar before coating the doughnuts.