raised doughnut holes

I do believe that I have found the raised doughnut hole recipe for us.  Or at least the one that does not have potatoes added.  I used Ree Drummond's recipe (Pioneer Woman) and adapted it to sourdough and no appliance.  Small pet peeve.  Do not write a recipe that requires a microwave and a mixer, please.  Okay, it is a huge pet peeve but the recipe turns out well.

I find I like the taste of doughnut holes that are more similar to a brioche dough.  When I take half a batch of dough and make a cob, the bread should taste good and this does.  I bake the bread at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour.

I know these doughnut holes did not stick around long.  Like I said, the seem to be a keeper if you do not have potatoes in the house.  I found a doughnut recipe with potatoes in it that after I modified it, it beat red birthday cake for Koda Bear.  My biggest problem with any of them right now is that the house is so cold that I am having problems getting the second proof to go well.  I will get there.

raised doughnut holes

Note:  Adapted from Ree Drummond's recipe.

sourdough

1 cup flour

3/4 cup water

9 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

10 tablespoons soft butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 or more cups of flour

oil for frying

powdered sugar

milk

vanilla

The night before you plan to start, mix the starter with 1 cup flour and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl.  I used whole wheat flour in this just because.  The next day, when the levain is bubbly, take a bit out for next time

Mix in the milk and sugar.  Mix the egg in well.  Cut the butter up into small chunks and add in.  Mix in the salt.  Mix in the flour one cup at a time.  You wish a soft dough.  Turn out onto a clean counter dusted with flour and start knead.  You will knead the dough until the dough is smooth and the butter is incorporated.  You will probably need more butter but keep the dough soft.

Put into a cleaned bowl, cover, and let rise until double.

When risen, I shaped half the dough into a cob shape for bread and I rolled the other half of the dough.  I cut the rolled out half into small squares.  Separate them on parchment paper so they have room to rise.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, both the "holes" and the bread.

When risen to double, bake the cob at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour.

Mix a glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.  My Beloved does this bit and I am not sure of his proportions though the last batch you might have been able to get drunk from the vanilla.  You want a glaze thin enough to be able to coat the doughnut when dipping.  You do not wish to spread.

In a large pot, like a chicken fryer, heat about 3 inches of vegetable to about 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  When hot, add the holes a few at a time.  They should float to the surface if the oil is hot enough and the holes have proved enough.  Turn when the side in oil is golden.  Remove when both sides are golden.  Drain.

Dip in the glaze when hot.

Do not let anyone burn their tongues.  

These are quite good and easily do not need the appliances to make them.

savoury pies

There seems to be a theme around here currently.  It is pie.  More specifically savoury pies.

I have filled them with vegetarian picadillo.

I filled a pie with saag paneer and a pie with saag paneer and dal.  Both were incredible.  I have been using the hot water crust pastry that is featured in many savoury pies on the Great British Bake Off.  I have been using a recipe from someone who is auditioning for the show.  I would not change anything about the crust other then make sure to bring the water to just a boil and do not boil further.  You do not wish to lose much moisture to steam.

I have been cooking all my pies for 50 minutes at 200 degrees C or 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  I have one oven that is digital so that works.  This has become a household favorite.

graham crackers

One of the food blogs I read wrote a post about going to Edison, WA.  That is not too for south from our mountain.  My take away from the post that Edison was small town that it might be interesting to spend a couple hours someday but that they also have a top rate bakery.  One of the bakery's top sellers are their graham crackers.

Now, I have been looking for a good graham cracker recipe.  I like them to snack on trips.  Koda Bear too.  I had this recipe before the pirate boat ride to Alaska but I just did not get it tried.  Also, the directions are a bit tedious if you do not have a professional kitchen.  I at least know have a shelf free of all things for my bakes due to the Great British Bake Off.  My Beloved made it so, so I could bake more.  The picky recipes.  I have been working with a lot of pastry.  Or cakes that need to cool.

I had all the ingredients per the recipe before the trip but I used a few so I had to adapt.  Graham cracker flavor is actually a wheat flour grind.  This is really hard to make gluten free due to the flavor is actually coming from the wheat and that is what is looked for in a graham cracker.  I had whole wheat flour.  But not whole wheat pastry flour so I made due.  What else is new?

I actually made these crackers for the pecan praline style crust for a pumpkin cheese cake.  I did not wish to go to the store to buy graham crackers.  See a pattern?  Do not wish to leave the house to buy ingredients so change the recipe?  This is so me and I just accept it.  I even do not wish to leave the house to go to the grocery store that is six blocks away and I can walk to.  There are a lot of people in that building.

I get laughed at hard.

These graham crackers are worth making, even with my adaptions.  They start out crisp but if you keep them to long, the soften.  Even in an air tight container.  Quite lovely with a cup of tea and I am going to have to make some for our next driving trip.  I need to find a plain cracker, or biscuit as it has come to be referred to here, that I can make that will go well with cheese.  That is the next biscuit search.

graham crackers

Note:  Adapted from Breadfarm's Graham Cracker recipe on the SAVEUR website. I also cut the recipe in half when I made it because I was making a 6 inch cheesecake.  It worked well.

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, not stone ground.  I used a combination of heritage and organic

1/4 cup all purpose flour

5 teaspoons wheat bran

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup unrefined sugar, I used a Mexican brand I like

2 tablespoons honey

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and honey together until light and there are no butter lumps.  In a medium bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together.  Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and stir together until it becomes a ball.  

On a lightly floured counter, split the ball in half.  Roll it out to be about a 12 inch by 16 inch rectangle and 1/8 of an inch thick.  Place on a parchment covered baking sheet.  Cover with parchment paper.  Due the same with the other half of the dough.  Put in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Remove from the freezer.  Pull off the top parchment paper.  Prick the crackers all over.  Cut into two inch squares.  Freeze for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Take the cookies of the freezer.  Have an extra baking sheet covered with parchment paper standing by.  Separate the cookies and put on the baking sheets.  There should be about 1 1/2 inches between each but all the freezer time will help them not to spread.  Put back into the freezer for 15 minutes.

Bake for 14 minutes or until golden at the edges.  The go too brown fast so watch them.  Cool immediately.

Now there are crackers.  For eating with tea or for doing crazy things like making cheese cake.

Pumpkin cheese cake actually.  So worth the effort!  

the anti-peckish snack

I got my Beloved hooked on low key cooking shows like the Great British Bake Off.  We have tried others from the Food Network but they have not worked so far.  He wants low key, something he can learn from.  He has actually enjoyed "I Will Have What Phil is Having" as well.  Again, low key, PBS, food, travel.  What more can you want from a cooking show.

We were watching the last episode of the season which was based in Los Angeles of all places.  Phil went to a little French restaurant and was walked through how to make a French omelet.  It looked to die for.

Stories of myself I have never told is that I have probably always read cookbooks.  When I was much shorter then I am now, I came across how to make an omelet in the Better Homes and Garden cookbook my Mom had.  For many Saturdays after that, that was how I made an omelet:  separate the eggs, beat the yolks to lemony, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks, gently combine, cook in a hot skillet with butter, add a bit of cheese if you wish when the center is just set.  Serve.  Not what most Americans think of as omelets.  

After seeing this episode, I decided I wanted to make an omelet again.  The difference was that they did not separate the eggs.  Yes, you whisk the eggs until your arm wants to all off but you do not separate the eggs like I used to.

This is more of a workflow then a recipe because it has not been perfected yet.  I am still working on trying to get the omelet not to brown, which is supposed to happen.  Cooked but not brown.

The first step is to get your cheese ready.  The chef on television used Boursin which he called French Velveeta.  The first time I made this, there was none in the house so I mixed together some bits of feta, grated parmesan, a few tablespoons of sour cream, a pinch of black pepper, and a bit of dry basil.

Then, I put my cast iron skillet that you see in the top picture on the stove at a low heat.  I put a 1/4 cup of butter into it to melt.  The butter is to be melted but not browned.

Since I was sharing this omelet, I put three eggs in a bowl and started whisking.  I whisked the whole time the butter was melting.  I whisked until the eggs were lemonny in color and foaming.  There were no bits of white showing.  Everything was well incorporated.  My arm wanted to fall off.  The right arm has the worse shoulder joint.

When the butter was melted, I poured the eggs into the skillet.  Not a sizzle to be heard.  I turned the heat down a bit since I was working with a cast iron skillet.  You must be most gentle with the eggs.  No sizzle.  No brown.  I used a silicon spatula to try to easy the eggs from the bottom.  I have only done this twice now since I was very short.  I am not very good at getting a try omelet shape yet.

When the eggs are mostly set, add the cheese.  Give the cheese a few moments to start to heat.  Start rolling the omelet up with the spatula.  Plate.

The omelet has a consistency of mousse.  I am also have been told that my Beloved will not be able to order an American omelet out again.  

I have never been asked why I do not order American omelets out.  This why.  

beignets

So far this week, I have had the early tireds.  I am ready to go to bed by 7:30 pm.  Yesterday, there was a rescue mission for soft friends that had been left at Daddy's house for Koda Bear.  By the time we got back, I was so tired I did not even have energy from tea.  That is very amazing!

Tonight is not much different.  I definitely did not gallivant as much but still seem very tired.  My concentration seems to be off as well.  I know it will get better.  Because it has too, yes?

I have been wanting beignets.  I actually would like to take a long weekend trip to New Orleans but I do not see that happening any time soon.  I am also being very anti-social which would mean that it would not be much of a success either.  But I can make beignets at home.  Make cafe au lait as well if I wish.  Right now I am drinking tea.  Either East Frissian TGFOP or Blood Orange Pu-Erh.  Both go well with beignets.

Most of the beignet recipes I read used evaporated milk and I just did not wish to use that.  I found a savoury beignet that used heavy cream.  I decided to go with that recipe, with a few adaptions, and cut it in half.  If there are only a few people in the house, a half batch is more then enough.  There were no leftovers because I had boyos and they had friends come over.  I did have enough for me.  I would make these again!

beignets

Note:  adapted from Southern Souffle.  I cut the original quantities in half.

sourdough starter

3/4 cup water 

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup whole milk

2 - 3 cups flour

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Canelo oil for frying

powdered sugar (icing sugar)

In a large bowl, mix the sourdough starter, 3/4 cup water, and 1 cup flour together.  Cover and let sit overnight or at least 8 hours.  It needs to be bubbly.  Take a bit out for next time.

Mix in the sugar, eggs, cream, milk, salt, and butter.  Add two cups of flour.  Beat hard with a wooden spoon breaking up the butter.  It should be a soft dough.  Turn out on a clean surface and knead until smooth.  Add a bit more flour if needed, but the softer the dough the better the crumb.  Bring up into a ball, place in a ball, cover, and let rise until double.

When risen to double, turn the dough out of the bowl on to a clean surface.  Pat into a rectangle that is about a 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into about 2 inch square pieces.  I find that even smaller is liked around here.  Place on a piece of parchment paper with space between each and let rise until double again.

When the beignet have risen until double, put a large amount of vegetable oil into a pot for frying.  I use a chicken fryer.  Heat until 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  When the oil is hot, carefully drop in the beignets.  They should slowly come to the top of the oil.  If not, the oil is not hot enough.  Cook until that side is brown.  Turn and cook the other side until brown.

Take out of the oil and let drain.  Dust with powdered sugar.  

These, of course are best hot, but I do find that the sourdough means that they taste good for longer then expected.

I need to make these again already.  I have been experimenting with a new recipe for raised doughnuts.  Still not right but I might be getting closer.

I can practice my frying skills with beignets though.  These are keepers.  They have been mentioned that it would be nice to have them again.

Already!