Bringing out the natural sweetness

TOLEDO BLADE
APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/4 cup apple cider
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons molasses (not blackstrap)
Peanut oil for deep-frying
Sugar
Sift the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and baking soda together into a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the buttermilk, cider, eggs, yolk, sugar and molasses. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix together with a minimum of strokes until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Lightly flour a work surface. Turn the dough out onto it and gently pat to about an inch-thick circle. Roll the dough to exactly 1/2-inch thickness. (Thicker results in doughy doughnuts and thinner in too much crispy surface and too little cakey middle.) Use a doughnut cutter to cut out the doughnuts or a 3-inch biscuit cutter, and cut center holes with an apple corer. Holes should be 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches across. Reroll the dough gently as needed to form all of the doughnuts.
Warm 3 to 4 inches of oil to 370 degrees in a deep heavy skillet or Dutch oven (preferably cast-iron for best heat retention). Spoon out several tablespoons of sugar onto a plate. Add 3 to 4 doughnuts to the oil, which will drop the temperature of the oil to 360 degrees. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the heat at 360 degrees. The doughnuts will first sink to the bottom. As soon as they rise to the top, in seconds, turn them gently with tongs and cook 40 to 45 seconds, then turn again and cook for another 45 seconds. They will brown because of the molasses in the dough. Drain on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with sugar on top or both sides. Serve hot.
-- "The Real American Breakfast"
CIDER-GLAZED SWEET POTATOES WITH CRANBERRIES
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Cook sweet potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until halfway cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain and cool. Combine cider, sugar, butter, nutmeg and allspice in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Add potatoes and reduce heat so liquid is simmering. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cranberries and continue cooking until liquid is reduced to syrup glaze and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
When potatoes are tender, transfer to a serving bowl with slotted spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour remaining glaze over sweet potatoes and serve.
APPLE AND FENNEL SALAD WITH CIDER VINAIGRETTE
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider or apple juice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon honey, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Gala apples
1 head dark leafy green or red lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
1/2 small red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1 small fresh fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
Toast pecans in a skillet over high heat until they take on a slightly toasted taste, stirring occasionally or gently shaking pan to avoid burning. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Prepare vinaigrette by combining in a blender or a bowl with a whisk: olive oil, cider vinegar, cider, nutmeg, ginger, honey, salt and pepper.
Core, seed and cut apples into thin slices. To prevent them from discoloring, place slices in a bowl containing water and a small amount of lemon juice.
Arrange lettuce leaves on four salad plates so stem ends are facing inside center of plates. Drain apple slices and pat dry with paper towels. Alternating slices of apple, onion and fennel, arrange the three ingredients over the lettuce. Sprinkle with pecans. Reblend vinaigrette and drizzle over salads, or transfer dressing to a cruet or small pitcher to serve with salads.
HAM WITH CIDER GLAZE
1 fully cooked ham, boneless or shank or butt half, spiral sliced, 3 to 6 pounds
1 cup apple cider
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons spicy mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place ham in shallow roasting pan in oven. Meanwhile, stir 2 tablespoons apple cider and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
In small saucepan, bring cornstarch mixture, remaining apple cider, mustard and cloves to a boil, stirring until thickened. Pour glaze over ham in oven and baste ham occasionally with this mixture until ham is heated through, about 45 minutes to an hour.