The Doughnut Turns 160: Recipes to Celebrate the Doughnut's Birthday

One hundred and sixty years ago the doughnut was created by Hanson Gregory, a sixteen year old American boy. Fried cakes were already popular at the time, but it was difficult to fry the centers of the cakes all the way through making them dangerous to eat because the uncooked center often carried diseases. His mother was a baker who would try to hide the doughy centers by covering them with nuts. Hanson found this to be unappealing and one day he got the idea to punch a hole in the center of the dough before frying it and the problem was solved. Over time the doughnut has evolved from the traditional ring style, to doughnuts filled with jam and cream, and even the doughnut hole!

Below are some great recipes to make your own doughnuts:

10 Minute Doughnuts
Ingredients:
Pillsbury Biscuit Dough (Regular)
Cooking Oil (Enough to cover the dough)
Confectioners Sugar
Milk
Cookie Cutter (to punch holes)

1. Heat the cooking oil in a deep frying pan
2. Separate the dough and cut out the centers.
3. Place dough into pan then immediately begin to flip them over with a spatula or other flipping instrument of your choice.
4. Once the dough is a light golden brown, place on a cooling rack.
5. Pour about a cup of confectioner's sugar into a bowl. Slowly whisk in milk until you reach desired consistency.
6. Dip Doughnuts into the glaze, let the excess drain off and enjoy!

White Chocolate Doughnuts
3 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2 ounces melted white chocolate
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate glaze
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1. Preheat the fryer. In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Next add the melted chocolate and butter and stir in the milk and vanilla.
3. Slowly add the sifted flour into the egg mixture, and incorporate into a soft dough. Cover the dough and chill for 2 hours.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut the doughnut holes out, using a small round cookie cutter
5. Fry a couple of doughnuts at a time for about 1 minute on each side.
6. Remove the doughnuts from the fryer and drain on a paper-lined plate. Place the doughnuts on a wire rack.
7. Drizzle the warm doughnuts with the chocolate glaze and sprinkle with the macadamia nuts. Place the doughnuts on a platter.