THE SIMPSONS: d'ohnuts

From the telly to your belly, recreating recipes from television

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SKIP TO: RECIPE

Welcome to our series ‘Gobblebox’, where we show you how to recreate recipes from the small screen, so you can bring the telly to your belly and eat along with your fave characters. This week, we're knocking up our version of TV's most iconic sweet treat, Homer's favourite D'ohnuts from THE SIMPSONS.

The Simpsons is a juggernaut record holder, holding the crown for longest running American sitcom, longest running American animated series and longest running American scripted primetime series. At our time of publication, The Simpsons has just under a whooping 800 episodes, has been running for 35 years, has a billion dollar merchandising industry (with a B) and a movie thats grossed half a billion dollars (with another B) ¡Ay, caramba!

Despite all its credentials when you think The Simpsons, you'd be forgiven if your first thought was actually doughnuts. Yup, we did say 'doughnuts'. Here in the UK it's our preferred spelling, but to prevent a transatlantic feud over donut vs doughnut, and in the spirit of Springfield, we'll stick to d'ohnuts. Doused in pink icing and drowned in rainbow sprinkles, these babies are an iconic symbol of television. In case you prefer your food to come in colours you're more likely to find in nature, we've included here the secrets to our fave toppings: original glaze, and cinnamon sugar. Yum.

A couple of notes before we crack on, in this recipe we suggest an overnight proof of the dough in the oven. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and, improves the flavour of the dough but if you're pushed for time then you can skip this step. (Though if you're pushed for time, you probs don't wanna be making dough at all).

Lastly, if you have a stand mixer, use it. This is a super hydrated and enriched dough so it's MAD sticky. You can make this by hand of course but it's gonna be extremely messy, so it's worth dusting off your stand mixer if you have one. If you don't, let the dough rest for 15 mins before kneading, and that will make it easier to handle. Resist adding additional flour and drying out the dough, use a dough scraper if you have one, and pinky promise it will eventually come together. It's just gonna look like you let Maggie loose in the kitchen...

If you haven't watched the full episode yet, we do things by hand there, so go check it out (and show it some love!) 💜

D'OHNUTS

Features in The Simpsons too many times to name!

INGREDIENTS (makes 12)

DOUGH

dry

wet

200ml whole milk
75g unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten
Neutral oil for frying + greasing

SIMPSONS GLAZE

300g icing sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp whole milk
A few drops of pink food colouring
Sprinkles!!

ALTERNATIVE TOPPINGS: if like us, you would like to do an assortment of toppings, you can find our other favourites here 🍩

METHOD

THE DOUGH

INGREDIENTS

Place the milk and butter in a small pan. Heat gently until the butter has melted, removing from the heat before any bubbles form. nb: don’t boil the milk, or it will scramble the egg and could kill the yeast (d’oh!) If you accidentally overheat the liquid, allow it to cool for a few mins before continuing.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Make a well in the centre, and add the beaten egg.

Slowly pour in the milk/butter, mixing with a wooden spoon as you go. Stop mixing once combined, with no visible lumps of flour.

Stand mixer: Using a dough hook attachment, knead on a medium/high speed for 8-10 mins.

Hand kneading: You will need a dough scraper if kneading by hand as this is a sticky and wet dough, avoid adding additional flour, it will eventually come together. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead by hand for 10 - 15 mins.

Once the dough is smooth and elastic, bounces back when pressed and is still slightly sticky, place it in a large bowl greased with butter or a neutral oil.

Cover with cling film or a damp tea towel and prove for 60 - 90 mins until doubled in size

To improve the flavour, when you reach this stage, refrigerate the dough overnight. Then, in the morning, bring it back up to room temperature before continuing. An overnight proof is not necessary, but does improve the flavour of the dough. Up to you, boo.

SHAPING

Once proved (or brought back to room temp after a night of chillin') knock back the dough, and turn it onto a clean work surface, gently roll out the dough to 1 cm thickness.

Using a 10 cm cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles of dough. You will need to gather the excess dough and re-roll to get the full dozen.

Using a 3 cm cookie cutter, cut a hole in the centre of each doughnut. nb: The hole in the middle should be larger than you think as it will shrink on the second prove/when cooked.

Generously grease two large baking trays with a neutral oil.

Lay the doughnuts on the prepared baking trays, cover loosely with cling film or a damp tea towel and prove for 45 - 60 mins until doubled in size

FRYING

Fill a heavy bottomed pot with a neutral oil until it's about 10 cm deep and heat to 180°C.

nb: Ideally, use a thermometer to test the temperature or, drop a small piece of dough into the oil- if it floats and sizzles on the edges immediately, the oil is ready.

Slowly place the doughnuts into the oil one at a time, using a metal slotted spoon. Don't overcrowd the pot as the doughnuts may stick together.

Fry for 1-1.5 mins, until golden brown on one side, then gentle flip away from yourself and fry on the other side for a further 1 minute.

Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on kitchen roll to absorb the excess oil.

GLAZING

INGREDIENTS

Whilst the doughnuts are cooling, make the glaze. The doughnuts need to be fully cooled before glazing, or the icing will melt and slip straight off.

Mix the icing sugar with the vanilla and milk until smooth, with no lumps.

Add a few drops of pink food colouring and mix. Continue adding the food colouring a few crops at a time until you reach the desired bubblegum pink colour.

One at a time, dip one side of the doughnuts into the icing. Whilst the glaze is still wet, sprinkle over the sprinkles! Leave to set before serving.

ALTERNATIVE TOPPINGS:

There is no denying that variety is the spice of life so, if you fancy some alternative flavours, these simple classics are the perfect quick fix. You'll also find here the scaled down version of our pink Simpsons glaze so you can make 4 of each of our three flavours, and have yourself a party to do Springfield proud 🍩 🍩 🍩