Gina's Apple Cider Doughnuts

Directions

1. Bring 3½ cups apple cider to a low boil and reduce to 1 cup, stirring occasionally. 
2. In a small bowl, add ½ cup of the reduced cider to the finely chopped apples. Incorporate and let sit while you make the doughnut batter.
3. To start the batter, in a large bowl, mix butter into sugar with clean hands until it resembles wet sand. Add the egg and whisk until very pale in color, then add the buttermilk and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
5. To the bowl of wet ingredients, add the cider/chopped apple mixture and gently mix. Then, add the flour mixture into the bowl and mix only enough to just combine. 
6. Generously flour a piece of parchment, and pat dough out onto parchment about ½" - 3/4” thick. Dust top with flour, cover, and refrigerate until cold—preferably overnight.
7. After dough is chilled, heat oil to 360°F. While the oil is heating, prepare a cooling rack and put the cinnamon sugar mixture in a flat, rimmed dish (we recommend a pie plate). Cut or shape dough into doughnuts and/or holes as desired. Fry one side until golden brown, then flip and cook another minute or two. Let cool on rack a minute or two, then roll in cinnamon sugar.
8. For caramel sauce, combine ¾ cup sugar and 1/3 cup reduced cider in medium saucepan over medium high heat. Boil until color changes to a darker caramel-colored brown and looks syrup-y. Carefully add cream (it will bubble at you—be careful!). Bring back to boil and cook a few minutes. Allow caramel to cool slightly, then drizzle/pour onto the donuts.