Try these bacon donuts

Book: "Glazed Filled, Sugared & Dipped: Easy Doughnut Recipes to Fry or Bake at Home," by Stephen Collucci with Elizabeth Gunnison and forward by Tom Colicchio; 160 pages, $17.99. Published by Clarkson Potter.

In his own words: "People are so impressed by a homemade doughnut; the great secret is that it's easier to make than anyone thinks." – Stephen Colluci

What you get: Here are more than 50 doughnut recipes along with recipes for fillings, glazes, sauces and accompaniments like Apple Butter (Page 141), Sour Apple Granita (P. 151) and Concord Grape Soda (P. 155). You're encouraged to mix and match them. We want to try Sugared Doughnut Sticks with Orange Marmalade (P. 42), Blueberry Crumb Mini-doughnuts with Chocolate Malted Milk (P. 48), Lavender-glazed Doughnuts with Apricot Jam (P. 60), Beignets with Strawberry Preserves (P. 90) and Whiskey-glazed Cake Doughnuts with Passionfruit Caramel (P. 98).

What we made:

BACON, CHEDDAR AND CHIVES CAKE DOUGHNUTS WITH HONEY BUTTER (P. 45)

Makes about a dozen donuts

3½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese, plus extra for garnish

8 ounces bacon, cooked and finely chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 large egg

3 large egg yolks

¾ cup buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Vegetable oil, for frying

Honey Butter (recipe below)

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix 1½ cups of the flour, the sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cheese, bacon and chives. With the mixer running, slowly add the egg, egg yolks, buttermilk and oil, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. One all of the liquid is incorporated, add the remaining 2 cups flour and mix just until everything comes together into a loose sticky dough.

2. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and put another sheet of parchment paper on top. Using a rolling pin, flatten and roll the dough until it’s 3/8 to ½ inch thick. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until it no longer clings when you try to lift off the parchment paper.

3. Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer until l the oil reaches 350 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets: one lined with paper towels and the other dusted with flour.

4. Peel off the top sheet of parchment paper and flip the dough onto a floured work surface. Remove the second sheet of parchment paper and dust the dough with flour. Using a floured biscuit or doughnut cutter, cut the dough into 2 1/2 – to 3-inch tubular rounds and put them on the flour-dusted baking sheet.

5. Fry the doughnuts in batches, taking care not to crowd the pot, until golden brown all over, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on the paper-towel-lined sheet.

6. While the doughnuts are still hot, top them with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese. Serve immediately with a bowl of honey butter or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

HONEY BUTTER (P. 47)

Makes ½ cup

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons honey

Pinch of salt

In a small bowl, blend the butter, honey and salt with a wooden spoon until well combined. Use immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Our assessment: These savory doughnuts are "a cross between a doughnut and a hush puppy," said one taste tester. Another, after finishing his third doughnut, said, "I like bacon and I like donuts, I wasn't sure they were going to mix well but I found them quite to my liking… That having been said, I'm not sure that the sum is better than the individual parts. If I had to choose between just eating a slice of bacon and a normal donut, I would opt for that over a bacon donut."

We also fried the doughnut holes, which are wonderful bite-size versions, but be warned: it’s difficult to be satisfied after eating just one. Be sure to refrigerate the dough long enough that the parchment peels off easily. We refrigerated overnight a second batch of dough, which was easier to handle than the first batch, which we refrigerated for about an hour.

These doughnuts taste best right out of the fryer, but they hold up well after being refrigerated overnight. We never found out if they would keep for two days.

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