(aka Jim's Favorite Day of the Year!)
The Donut Day tradition began on the battlefields of France during World War One, when Salvation Army workers went to the front to deliver spiritual aid and comfort to US soldiers and their allies and serve as a link between the soldiers and their families back home. Salvation Army volunteers helped feed soldiers, and the Salvation Army "Donut Lassies" served coffee and donuts to soldiers in the trenches to spiritually and emotionally comfort them. During World War I, Salvation Army "lassies" traveled to the front lines in Europe making home cooked foods, including doughnuts for troops. They were the only women outside of military personnel allowed to visit the front lines. The "lassies" often cooked the doughnuts in oil using soldiers' metal helmets Donut Day became an official Salvation Army annual fundraising event in 1938 and was established by the Chicago Salvation Army to raise money for the Great Depression and commemorate the work of the Original "Donut Lassies."
Yields: 4 dozen donuts.
Ingredients:
5 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
5 teaspoons of baking powder
1 "saltspoon" salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1 tub of lard
powdered sugar
Directions:
Combine all ingredients (except for lard) to make dough. Thoroughly hand knead the dough, roll smooth and cut into rings that are less than 1/4 inch thick. Drop the rings into the lard, making sure the fat is hot enough to brown the donuts gradually. Turn the donuts several times. When browned, remove the donuts and allow the excess fat to drip off. Dust with powdered sugar.
Historical Note: When finding items to cut out donuts, The Salvation Army donut lassies used whateverthey could find including baking powder cans and coffee percolator tubes.
Sara from The Salvation Army was also kind enough to send me a Modern Day version of the Original Recipe:
Modernized Salvation Army Lassies Doughnut Recipe:
Yield: 15 donuts
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 level teaspoon salt
1/4 level teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
Directions:
Cooking oil or lard for deep frying.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour for the board.
Combine the remaining flour with the baking powder and set aside.
Cream the shortening, 1/2 cup of the sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Add milk and well-beaten egg and stir. Then add the flour-baking powder mixture.
Work into a soft dough and roll onto the floured board into a 1/4-inch thick sheet.
Cut into the desired shape and fry in the oil, heated to about 375 degrees F.
Turn donuts frequently while frying.
The fat should be hot enough to give the donuts a rich golden-russet color in 3 minutes.
While hot, roll donuts in remaining sugar.
This recipe will make about 15 good sized donuts.
Sara from The Salvation Army was also kind enough to send me a Modern Day version of the Original Recipe:
Modernized Salvation Army Lassies Doughnut Recipe:
Yield: 15 donuts
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 level teaspoon salt
1/4 level teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
Directions:
Cooking oil or lard for deep frying.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour for the board.
Combine the remaining flour with the baking powder and set aside.
Cream the shortening, 1/2 cup of the sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Add milk and well-beaten egg and stir. Then add the flour-baking powder mixture.
Work into a soft dough and roll onto the floured board into a 1/4-inch thick sheet.
Cut into the desired shape and fry in the oil, heated to about 375 degrees F.
Turn donuts frequently while frying.
The fat should be hot enough to give the donuts a rich golden-russet color in 3 minutes.
While hot, roll donuts in remaining sugar.
This recipe will make about 15 good sized donuts.
Entenmann's and The Salvation Army will celebrate 75th National Donut Day today with a Sweet Celebration which includes the unveiling of the largest Box of Entenmann's Donuts Ever Created during a Special Event at Madison Square Park in New York City. This will include custom-made donuts 1-foot in diameter!
A number of donut retailers are offering free deals today. Here's a couple:
- All Krispy Kreme stores are offering customers one free donut of any variety.
- Participating Dunkin' Donuts restaurants are giving away one free donut with any beverage purchase
Bonus Donut Recipes:
Here are a couple bonus recipes I've posted on my Recipe Blog this morning.
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