Canadian Dutchies

Tim Hortons is a bit of a Canadian Institution.  It is a coffee/doughnut shop that  feels like a second home to many Canadians.  I worked there for a time prior to moving over here to the UK.  
 
When I worked there, they would have a baker come in every night and he would work from 10:00 pm until about 6 in the morning baking cakes, frying doughnuts, baking pies, etc.  When you went into work in the morning there would be trays and trays of the freshly finished goodies sitting and waiting to go out onto the shelves.
 
I understand that they don't have in-store bakers these days, and that all the goods are brought in baked and frozen, ready to thaw out and pop onto the shelves.  Its called progress, but I understand that their goodies are not as nice as they used to be, or so I have been told. 
 
I can't help but think that in losing the personal touch, in favour of more profits, they have lost something very special  . . . it is a common complaint today. 
  
One of my favorite doughnuts that they sold was the "Dutchie."   It was a square, sultana filled, yeast-lifted and sugar  glazed doughnut.  You could also get them as donut holes. I understand that they no longer make them, and mores the pity.  They were a real favorite of many people. 
 
My daughter and I were talking one day and I was telling her that one of the things I missed from Canada was the Dutchie Doughnut, and she informed me that they no longer make them.  Can we please have a minute of silence here to mourn their loss?
  
Well, you know how that goes . . .  when you can't get something you love any longer  . . .  it increases your craving for it. 
 
For months now I have been craving a Dutchie Doughnut!  Craving, craving, craving  . . . 
 
Today I decided to scratch that itch and make some from scratch.  They were very simple to make.  I searched online and found a recipe for them on the Chatelaine Magazine page (another Canadian Institution), the difference being they called them Duchesse Doughnuts . . .  
 
Duchesse . . .  Dutchies  . . .  a rose  by any other name.  Any Canadian worth his salt knows these are Dutchies.  Their recipe made 12.  There is no way on earth I wanted to be tempted by a dozen Dutchies  . . . 
 
So I cut the recipe in half, with great success and made us a lovely half dozen puffed and glazed, raisin studded delights! 
  
I also added a half teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough because if my memory serves me well, they had just a hint of cinnamon flavour, but that could just be my rose coloured glasses  . . . 

Canadian Dutchies

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Author: Marie RaynerThese sultana studded glazed Doughnuts are a bit of a Canadian Institution!  Not as hard to make as you might think. You can easily double and make more.

ingredients:

• 75g of sultana raisins (1/2 cup)
• 120ml milk (1/2 cup)
• 4g of quick rise yeast  (1 1/4 tsp)
• 2 TBS granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 30g butter, melted (2 TBS)
• 1 small free range egg, beaten (or 1/2 a large one)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 175g of bread flour (1 1/4 cups)
• Canola oil for frying

For the glaze:

• 130g icing sugar, sifted
• 2 TBS water, or as needed to make a thin smooth glaze

instructions:

How to cook Canadian Dutchies

1. Put the sultanas into a measuring cup and cover with 1/2 cup boiling water.  Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain very well.
2. Heat the milk in the microwave for 30 seconds, until warm.  Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add the yeast and stir.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Beat in the well drained raisins, cinnamon, sugar, melted butter, egg and salt.  Add the flour and beat on medium high with the dough hook on the stand mixer for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the dough forms a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides and bottom of the bowl. (You may need to add a bit more flour. I did.)  
3. Scrap into a lightly oiled bowl. Oil the top and cover with a damp tea towel.  Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Line a large baking sheet with some buttered foil.  Pat or roll the dough out into a rectangle which is roughly 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into 2 equal sized pieces and place each on the prepare foil.  Cover lightly with the damp tea towel again and leave in a warm place to rise until double, a further 45 minutes.
5. Pour cooking oil into a large pot to the depth of one inch.  Clip on a deep frying thermometer.  Heat the oil over medium heat until the temperature reaches 180*C/ 350*F.   Adjust the heat as required during cooking to maintain this temperature.
6. Add the doughnuts to the hot oil,  2 at a time, flipping them over halfway through the cook time, until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes in total.  Drain on paper towels.
7. Place   a wire rack over a piece of parchment paper or paper kitchen towelling.  whisk together the icing sugar and water until smooth.  Dip each doughnut one at a time, turning the to coat them on all sides, and allowing any excess to drip away.  Place onto the wire rack and let stand until the glaze is firm.  The last one of two you may need to use your fingers to make sure the glaze coats them completely.  Not a problem if you don't mind sticky fingers, and I don't. 

Created using The Recipes Generator
 
Oh boy am I ever glad I only made six of these!  They are indeed very dangerous to have around.  I think I am going to have to lock up the extra four!  They were very easy to make and tasted every bit as good as my memory of them was! (Just make sure your oil is hot and you keep an eye on it so that it doesn't cool down too much when you add the doughnuts to it.) Today you can call me a very happy Canadian Ex-pat, with a lovely satisfied grin on my face.  Nom Nom!