GF doughnuts...or how I burned my finger

I was feeling pretty sassy this morning and decided to make those cinnamon rings I mentioned earlier this week. I based these off of the recipe in Complete Comfort Foods.

GF Cinnamon Doughnuts

2 cups + of Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1/2 +1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cloves

1/4 cup butter

Oil for frying (I used safflower oil)

First of all, the real recipe for cinnamon rings calls for ground anise in the batter. I don't have any and didn't feel like going to the store, so I used cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Combine 2 cups of baking mix and 2 tbsps of the sugar in a mixer (I have a 6 qt Kitchenaid - every cook's best friend). Add the 1/2 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; whirl away until mixed together.

Measure the milk into a larger measuring cup; crack the egg into the milk and whisk with a fork. Pour into the dry ingredients and whirl some more. Melt the butter; pour that in and beat yet again. The batter will be a little sticky.

Dump the batter/dough/cat magnet onto a surface that's been prepared with some sprinkled Pamela's baking mix. Knead the dough, adding a little more baking mix until the dough is less sticky and feels smooth. Wrap it in plastic wrap and throw it into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to chill out.

While the dough is chilling, pour 2-3 cups of oil into a pot that is relatively wide with high sides. Get it heating; it's ready when a pinch of the dough floats and turns golden in 30 to 60 seconds.

Remove the dough from the freezer. Divide into 12 equal balls. Slightly flatten a ball, poke a hole through the middle with the end of a wooden spoon, ream the hole a little bit, and drop it into the hot oil. Swear in your outside voice, cry a few tears, and run across the room to run cold water over the fingertip you accidently dipped into the oil when you deposited the first doughnut.

Repeat 11 times (preferably without the swearing, crying, and future blisters).

Fry the doughnuts in small batches (I did 3 at a time so the pan didn't crowd and the doughnuts stick together). The doughnuts are ready to flip when the top puffs up and the bottom is golden brown.

Drain the doughnuts on a stack of paper towels sitting on a plate. While they're still warm, coat the doughnuts in a mixture of what's left of the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

Pour yourself a glass of juice and eat while still warm.