Dried Porcini Doughnuts Recipe

Grind porcini

Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a spice grinder or blender and grind until you have a fine powder. Measure 1/2 cup of the porcini powder for the batter. If you have larger pieces remaining, sift them out and reserve for another use.

In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground porcini, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl whisk the whole milk, egg, and melted butter until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined; do not overmix. The batter should be thick but pipeable. If it seems too thick, add up to 2 tablespoons more milk; if too thin, add 1–2 tablespoons flour.

Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to allow the porcini to rehydrate slightly and the gluten to relax.

Heat the oil: pour about 1"–1.5" (2.5–4 cm) of neutral oil into a heavy skillet or saucepan. Heat over medium until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C) on a thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter — it should sizzle and rise steadily.

Portion the doughnuts: transfer the rested batter to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2"–3/4" round tip (or use a spoon). For ring-shaped doughnuts, pipe rounds of batter into the hot oil and use your finger or the tip to create a hole; alternatively, pipe small rounds for doughnut holes. Work in batches, allowing enough space so the doughnuts can expand.

Fry until golden: fry the doughnuts, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 2–3 minutes per side depending on size. Do not overcrowd the pan. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked doughnuts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Keep the cooked doughnuts warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while finishing the rest.

Optional: for a slightly crisp exterior, after draining on the rack, briefly return each doughnut to the hot oil for 10–15 seconds, then drain again.

Preheat the raclette: if using a raclette grill, preheat the raclette heater or small pans until very hot. If you don't have a raclette machine, you can melt the raclette under a broiler or in a small sauté pan on medium-low heat.

Warm the raclette cheese: divide the sliced or shaved raclette into the raclette pans (or place in a small oven-safe dish). Heat until the cheese is fully melted and slightly bubbling at the edges, about 3–5 minutes under a broiler or 2–4 minutes in the raclette pan.

Finish the doughnuts: place 1–2 warm porcini doughnuts on each serving plate. Brush the tops lightly with the finishing butter (melt it first) and then spoon or pour melted raclette generously over each doughnut so it cascades and slightly soaks into the warm doughnut surface.

Season and garnish: sprinkle fresh thyme leaves, coarsely ground black pepper, and a pinch of flaky sea salt over the melted raclette. Add pickled pearl onions or cornichons and microgreens/chives to the plate as an optional counterpoint to the richness.

Serve immediately while the raclette is still molten and the doughnuts are warm. The contrast of the earthy porcini in the doughnut and the creamy, nutty raclette melting over the top is best enjoyed right away.

Leftovers: refrigerate any leftover doughnuts and cheese separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days. Reheat doughnuts in a 325°F (160°C) oven until warmed through and re-melt cheese as needed.