Naked Ladies With Their Legs Crossed

Submitted by darthlaurie

"Well it got my attention when I saw the name for these doughnuts! Apparently, this is an old recipe for crullers in the U.S. Midwest. I've also been told this recipe is also used to make Naked Men with Their Legs Crossed and Bandits, which are shaped like masks. I got this recipe from NPR and America's Test Kitchen."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 50mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 24 crullers

ingredients

• 1 russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out dough
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 quarts vegetable oil or 2 quarts peanut oil

directions

1. Bring the potato and water to cover to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potato, then mash until smooth. Let cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
2. Transfer 1/2 cup mashed potato to a medium bowl (discard the remaining potato) and beat in the egg, milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and vanilla until combined. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the potato mixture. Stir to form a moist and sticky dough.
3. On a heavily floured work surface, roll the dough into an 18 by 14-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch wide strips, make a slit in each strip, and twist the legs around each other twice to shape the dough to resemble crossed legs. Transfer the crullers to a floured baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to fry. (The crullers may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
4. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until the temperature reaches 350 degrees. Carefully lower 6 crullers into the hot oil and fry, maintaining a temperature between 325 and 350 degrees, until crisp and deep brown on both sides, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the crullers to a plate lined with paper towels and drain for 3 minutes. Toss the crullers in a bowl with the remaining sugar and transfer to a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining crullers, regulating the oil temperature as necessary. Serve.