Donuts with my car wash….me likey.

Now what crazy person doesn’t love donuts? SERIOUSLY. I wouldn’t trust ’em. 

Donut shops are cool, but a donut shop in a car wash? Even cooler, for sure. I met up with owner Scott and his wife Orlee to get the scoop on their Underwest Donut shop.

Scott has been in the culinary world for quite some time. A New York City chef formerly of Chanterelle and Union Square events, Scott decided not long ago it was time to open up his own business.

At first Scott thought he was going down the bagel path, then with the opportunity of this space opening up, nothing made more sense than donuts. Donuts + car wash = awesomeness. DUH. The car wash is open 24hrs.  what makes better sense than devouring a freshly fried cake donuts while waiting for your car to be washed…nothing! Plus, let’s be honest here. We’re in NYC. You can never have too many donut shops.

That’s me in the car wash. With a donut. The total experience. 

The menu features two versions of cake donuts, glazed and sugared.  Sorry guys, the glazed donuts are available only until they sell out. But, silver lining: the sugared donuts are offered hot throughout the day and dipped in sugar on the spot.

Glazed donut flavors include brown butter, halva, coconut lime, dark chocolate and maple waffle (sewww tasty). The halva donut is a specialty of Underwest. Halva is a Middle-Eastern ingredient made of sesame nut butter and sugar. It’s rich, nutty and adds glorious GLORIOUS moisture to the donut. Sugared donut flavors include coco raspberry, espresso bean, cinnamon sugar and – but of course! —  Old Fashioned.

I was most excited for the halva donut with its tahini base and halva floss topping. (My personal fave—if you’re in NYC, buy some at Holyland Market.) And it most definitely did NOT disappoint. What’s more, I was introduced to one of their new donuts: Maple Waffle. Now, being Canadian and all, I obviously immediately gave full attention when I heard those words said together. This donut, this truly EPIC donut, is coated in a pure maple syrup glaze and topped with pecans and a stroopwaffle. What’s a stroopwaffle? It’s a thin waffle cookie with caramel inside, my friends. OH I KNOW. I have both a halva and a maple waffle donut in my hands in this pic, each donut representing my heritage. (Halva for Israel, baby.) Perf.

It’s time to make some donuts…

Old Fashioned Recipe

Dry Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup whole milk

1 large egg

2 tbsp sour cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

Additional Ingredients & Special Equipment

Your favorite flavored sugars

1 gallon vegetable oil

1-2 gallon pot

candy thermometer

fire extinguisher

For donuts: Belshaw-Adamatic Type K Donut Depositor

For donut holes: 2 spoons

1/2 sheet pan

paper towels

large metal slotted spoon

Directions-

In a large pot, heat 1/2 –  1 gallon (depending on the size of your pot) of oil to your stove at 375 degrees.  Use your candy thermometer to monitor the temperature.  Your oil temperature needs to remain constant.  Once it reaches 365, begin to adjust the heat source to ensure the oil temperature levels off at 375 and doesn’t climb above 385 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine all the dry ingredients (about 1 minute on low).  While the mixer is going, add the wet ingredients to the dry in a slow stream until the batter has formed.  Your donut batter should  be thicker then pancake batter.

Line a 1/2 sheet pan with paper towels and set aside to drain & cool donuts.

Using 2 spoons, carefully drop spoonfuls of batter into your oil and fry for 1 – 2 minutes until golden brown being sure to flip your donut or donut hole half way through cooking.  Use a large metal slotted spoon to flip and remove donuts from oil.

Drain donuts on paper towel lined 1/2 sheet pan.

 

Allow donuts to cool slightly and once cool enough to handle but still warm, sugar with your favorite sugar and enjoy!

This is how the glazing goes down at Underwest. These are the Maple Waffle in the works.

 Not only are the donuts original and great, but Scott and his wife Orlee are pure happiness. Underwest has officially become the only place in NYC to get your car washed. #donutsforlife

Photo- Matan Hakimi

BY- Renny Grinshpan & Eden Grinshpan