SWEET CORN DOUGHNUT HOLES

Sweet Corn Doughnut Holes image

Provided by Erin Jeanne McDowell

Categories dessert

Time 30m

Yield 35 doughnut holes

Number Of Ingredients 14

Vegetable oil, peanut oil or canola oil, for frying
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup sweet corn kernels, optional
Confectioners' sugar, for finishing

Steps:

Heat 3 to 4 inches of oil in a medium pot until the oil registers 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
Whisk the flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg together in a medium bowl. Add the buttermilk, butter, eggs, honey and vanilla and mix first with a whisk, then with a silicone spatula as the mixture combines and becomes thicker. Fold in the corn kernels if using.
Place a generous amount of confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl. Working in batches, drop 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into the hot oil (a small cookie scoop makes a rounder doughnut, but you can also use 2 spoons to drop in the batter). Drop in 3 to 5 doughnuts at a time, depending on the exact size of your pot. Fry until they are deeply golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove the doughnuts from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towels. While they're still hot, toss them in the confectioners' sugar to coat and transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Repeat with the remaining batter-frying, draining and dredging in confectioners' sugar-until you've fried all of the dough. Serve immediately.