Apple Cider & Cinnamon Cake Donuts

Directions

• Simmer the apple cider in a small pan until it has reduced by one-half. You need 1/2 of a cup of the reduced cider. Then let it cool completely to room temperature.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Whisk to incorporate.
• An a second bowl, combine the reduced apple cider and the buttermilk. Whisk to incorporate.
• In a third mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine butter and sugar. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until creamed together. Then add the egg yolks one at a time, and continue beating for 1-2 more minutes.
• Add the apple cider/buttermilk mixture to the mixer bowl, as well as the dry ingredients. Mix on medium-low speed until everything is well incorporated (but don’t mix any longer than needed for this).
• Wrap the dough in a large sheet of plastic wrap that has been generously dusted with flour. Gently press it all out into a thick disc, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Dust all sides of the dough with some more flour to keep it from sticking.
• Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut out the donut shapes with large and small round cookie-cutters.
• Place each cut-out donut into a well-greased casserole pan (or similar pan with walls that are taller than the donuts). Then cover the pan in plastic wrap (the high walls are to keep the plastic from resting atop the sticky donuts).
• Refrigerate the cut-out donuts for at least 2 hours.
• In a large Dutch oven or electric deep-fryer, heat up vegetable oil (or similar high-smoke point oil) to 335 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Fry only a couple donuts at a time, as to not over-crowd the fryer. Fry until a nice golden-brown color, flipping each donut over halfway through. The frying only takes a couple minutes in total.
• Transfer fried donuts to a wire rack to cool slightly.
• Combine the cinnamon and sugar for the donut coating. While the donuts are still warm, dust them in the cinnamon-sugar coating.