This is my little twist on plain ol’ boring a.) donut holes (TimBits to us Canadians) and b.) candy apples.
I’m pretty confident that this recipe should belong on This Is Why You’re Fat, but you should know by now that I preach moderation.
A small little side note: Duh-licious turns the big 2 this week, so for our birthday, we’re gifting you. It’s literally the smallest prize I’ve ever given away, but doubles as one of the sweetest. For a chance at winning an iPod nano (6g), leave a comment– thats it. Not too shabby right? The only catch is that you have to leave your contact information, so I know how to contact the winner.
Contest closes on Friday, October 22nd at midnight. A winner will be chosen at random. [CLOSED]
Candy ‘Apple’ Donuts:
Ingredients: (recipe covers ~ 25)
- donut holes, we call ‘em TimBits on this side of the border, recipe from scratch below
- candy sticks (as many as you have donut holes)
- 2 cups Redpath white sugar
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ tsp cinnamon (optional)
- ¼ tsp red food coloring (optional)
- candy toppings (optional)
- parchment paper, candy thermometer, and a sauce pan.
- cold water bath ( large bowl + cool water); used to dunk your pot, too stop sugar from continuing to heat.
1. Heat and stir sugar and water in a saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Boil until the syrup reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Remove right away from the stove, stir in cinnamon and food coloring (if using), and quickly (but carefully) dip the bottom of your pan into the cold-water bath.
This step is literally for a second; you just want to prevent the sugar from continuing to heat up. You’ll hear a fizzle and might see a little bit of steam—but don’t leave it longer than a second, or else your sugar will cool too much, and you’ll have instant caramel and won’t be able to dip your donut holes. Once you do that, place your pot down on a heatproof surface.
3. I find it easier to dip the sticks in the sugar first, and then into the center of your donut; it adheres the two together better. Once you’ve done this, dip the donut holes completely in the syrup and swirl it around a little with the stick to coat. Hold the donut above the saucepan to drain off excess. If you want, dip the donut in candy toppings, and place on parchment paper.
4. Repeat with remaining donuts. If syrup thickens or cools too much, simply reheat briefly before proceeding. Let cool completely before serving.
Wanna know my favorite topping out of the bunch? You might cringe… but… its… crushed up salted potato chips. YUCK right? – wrong; well at least I think so. It adds crunch, and salty-ness, which I think make an interesting pairing (think sea salt caramels).
Apple Donut Holes
Ingredients (makes ~ 20 regular size donuts, or 60 donut holes)
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¼ cup apple cider or ¼ cup apple juice
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 medium apple, peeled and finely grated.
oil (for deep frying)
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and set aside. In a small bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, and add the egg.
2. Add the apple juice, milk, and vanilla to the creamed mixture, and mix until incorporated.
3. Add wet ingredients and apple to dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.
4. Place half the dough on a floured board; knead lightly, and roll out to approximately 3/8-inch thick.
5. Cut with a floured 1 inch round cutter, or use the round edge of a shot glass—it does the trick.
6. Heat the oil to 375°F in a pan or skillet; fry the dough for 1 minute on each side, until golden and drain on paper towel to rid excess oil.
7. When cool, you can follow the instructions above for candy apple donuts.
P.S.
I won’t tell anyone if you use store bought donuts, they do the trick just fine… It’ll be our little secret.
WINNER:
Woohoo. Congrats to lucky number 46, Donna, who is generously giving her iPod to her daughter. 
October 12th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Congratulations on the second anniversary of your beautiful blog! These candy apple donuts look insanely good. What a fun Halloween treat.
cookincanuck (at) comcast (dot) net
October 12th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
I’ve made something similar using cheesecake – cheesecake lollipops as I call them – and my friends LOVED them, cause really? who doesn’t love food on a stick
Great idea!
October 12th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
These look amazing, I am still full from thanksgiving though.
October 12th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
These look awesome! I might have to make them for my daughter’s party in a couple weeks. Thanks
October 12th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
congrats on your two year anniversary! and potato chips are an awesome partner for sweets – i roll my cookie dough in them! best wishes for another amazing year!
October 12th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
I would love to win the iPod! Would come in handy at the gym after eating all the yummy desserts
Congrats on your 2 year anniversary. Love the blog!
October 12th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Potato chips sure would be an interesting topping, I’d love to try one! These treats look incredibly tasty!
October 12th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
this totally sounds like something that would be at the ex next year! They look awesome and i just KNOW that they’d fit into my strict diet!
October 12th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Oh my gosh, those look absolutely delish compared to dining hall dessert in college
T_T
How I miss home baking
<3
October 12th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
I love the wholes and then you add all that great stuff including the potato chips I’M with you Maddy sort of reminds me of salty pretzels dipped in chocolate:)
October 13th, 2010 at 12:06 am
this is a must try recipe…potato chips?wow,who thought?congratulations!
October 13th, 2010 at 1:26 am
I want this. I need this. Right now.
October 13th, 2010 at 1:33 am
LOVE those. look delicious. The ipod looks pretty delicious too!
October 13th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
What a fantastic idea! These look so delicious!
October 13th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
This is a must do, must share, must to have idea! So funny too, this idea just came up yesterday with a friend who is laboring to make cake pops for her child’s birthday. Your idea is so much easier to do! Thanks and btw, AWESOME Photography. Definitely “using” your ideas and style to influence my work. D. Gorniak – Philadelphia, PA
October 13th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I am on my way to Dunkin’ Donuts to pick up a large box of Munchkins. I plan on trying to add some cayenne pepper to a few.
October 13th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
What a great idea! Love it!
Themessyapron(at)yahoo(dot)com
October 13th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
As a Canadian living in NYC, I love seeing mentions of my beloved TimBits! Happy 2nd Blogiversary!!
highlowfooddrink(at)gmail(dot)com
October 13th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Too cute! I love it.. I’m making donuts this weekend and I keep changing my mind on what to make with all these new recipes I keep finding!
October 13th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
What a cute idea. Thanks for sharing!
October 13th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
That looks tasty, but I don’t know if I dare. When I make donuts, I tend to want to eat them all.
October 13th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
These look adorable and Delish!
October 13th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
These are so adorable. I cannot wait to try to make them!
October 13th, 2010 at 6:41 pm
These look so cute! I cannot wait to try make them.
October 13th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
Corn syrup and red dye…what’s not to like?
October 13th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
These candy “apples” look wonderful! And they seem SO MUCH easier to eat than those teeth-and-dental-work-threatening cousins of theirs.
October 14th, 2010 at 12:41 am
Congrats Maddy! LOVE THIS BLOG!!!!!!!!!!
October 14th, 2010 at 2:14 am
These look amazing. I am definately going to try them!
October 14th, 2010 at 2:21 am
Congrats!
October 14th, 2010 at 4:15 am
If it’s possible to improve on a Timbit, you have succeeded! What a tiny treasure of a treat.
October 14th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
So sweet!!! Literally. I am getting married on Halloween and I may just have to make these for my guests. So yummu
October 14th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
I’m so glad I found your blog! Maybe Lamarche can work this into the recipe book? haha if only. Love it!
lpritch75@gmail.com
October 14th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Instead of potato chips, I’m trying apple chips. I’ve never been a big potato chip fan, but I love the idea of adding a crunchy texture… I bet it will be great!
anphares256@gmail.com
October 14th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
yamzoo!
October 14th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
I love the new look of your website
October 15th, 2010 at 5:22 am
What a great idea! I love the shout out to Tim’s Horton’s too, spoken like a true Canadian.
I’m featuring this recipe on my Friday Favourties feature this week! Feel free to check it out!
I just discovered this blog in the past week, and I love it!
R.
akajolie.blogspot.com
October 15th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
I’m not surprised at all the chips taste good with the donut holes….good old salty and sweet, ‘eh?
These look awesome!!!! Great work!
October 15th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Love these! So fun!
October 16th, 2010 at 11:51 pm
These look amazing!! I need to try them now.
October 17th, 2010 at 1:37 am
These would be great for a Halloween party. Awesome!!
October 17th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Wow, this recipe makes me want to resume my cooking experiments.
)
October 20th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
What a fun idea. They look awesome!
October 20th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Maddy,
I love your blog! You are an amazing chef and are truly talented!
I miss our days in Sociology but hope you are having a fab time at culinary school! 
-Erin
October 21st, 2010 at 1:50 am
First: your recipes look delicious and dangerous for a girl who’s just getting back in the work-out saddle
Second: Yay Canada!! Finally, a baking blogger who’s from the north side of the border!!
October 21st, 2010 at 2:43 pm
I found you on cake wrecks and so glad I did!! Everything looks sooo good!! Thanks for the candy apple donuts…I’m bringing them to a Hallowine (yes, HalloWINE) Party!
October 21st, 2010 at 2:52 pm
very cool! My daughter really wants one of these, so it would go directly to her. *crosses fingers*
October 22nd, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Decadent!
If I was to make these though I’d work with premade plain timbits from Timmies as I am wary about frying things (and setting house on fire).
Wonder what crushed halapeno nacho chips would be like….hhhmmmm
Cheers
@torontoviewer
October 22nd, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Looks delicious. One bite candy apples… mmm-mmmmmm!
Congrats and well done! Can’t wait to try the recipe out!
@chefcreezle
October 29th, 2010 at 5:17 am
Winning the nano would be cool, but this snack idea is awesome! Already have the coolest xmas ideas. Kudos!!
June 22nd, 2011 at 8:32 am
OMG I’m running to the store right now to get al of the ingredients , it just looks to die for ^^
July 19th, 2011 at 3:22 am
Wow. Nuff said.lol ok not really. I think these would be great at my sons carnival themed birthday party. Alongside the honey cornbread battered corn dogs and the home made caramel corn. evaq24@gmail
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