Almonds & Applesauce

What do you with your 3 year-old on a cold winter day? Make doughnuts! While the summer months are not a very desireable time to be slaving over a hot stove, winter month on the other hand provide a cozy setting.

I don't know about you, but most doughnut selections these days come in the day-old variety: soggy, been on the shelf for a day or half a day. Unless you are a very early birdy, you will not have fresh, HOT doughnuts as an option should the craving strike you.

I like to cook up the doughnut holes too. They make great bite-sized treats for kids or parties.

Doughnuts for me are a very, very occasional treat, probably because they pack such a punch in the calorie department that I'm just not willing to run the extra 2 miles for one doughnut. But, when I do opt to add the extra workout, I want it to be worth it. Know what I mean? I want it to be good, as in, when I'm sweating my guts out during a workout I am thinking, "that doughnut was SO worth it."

Here is the recipe that I stumbled upon. It is from Cookin' with the Crazy lady by Trish Jenkin. I actually spoke with Trish and she mentioned that her site is currently down, but you can contact her directly to get her cookbook: 435-851-1662. Absolutely awesome recipe--it produced the exact texture and style of doughnut that I was looking for. I topped it with a simple glaze and my 3 year-old added the sprinkles.

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnuts
(Print this recipe)
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1 c. granulated sugar
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. soda
pinch of salt
enough vegetable oil for frying 2" deep (will vary with size of pan)

Directions:
1. In a large cast-iron pot or large sauce pan, heat 2 inches of oil over medium low heat.

2. Combine buttermilk, egg, and melted butter in a small bowl. In a separate, larger bowl combine the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, soda and salt.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry until barely combined so as not to activate the gluten in the flour. Overmixing will make the doughnuts tough.

4. Lightly roll out on a floured surface and cut with a biscuit cutter.

One of my secrets for this as well as biscuits is to push the sides in and make a plump pillow of dough. Dough that is smooshed down with a rolling pin makes for flat biscuits and doughnuts.

So easy a 3 year old can do it!

Dip in flour so it won't stick to the holes.

5. Test the temperature of the oil by dropping in a tiny piece of left over dough. If the dough sinks to the bottom with no bubbles, your oil is not hot enough. If it massively bubbles and burns right away, allow your oil to cool off a little.

The standard wooden spoon test (put the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and see if it bubbles) can work but in reverse: if there are bubbles around the wooden spoon, then the oil is too hot.
The picture below shows no bubbles coming around the spoon.

What you want is for bubbles to start around the dough but to be gradual so the doughnuts will be able to cook all the way through an not burn.
6. When the oil is at the desired temperature, drop in the doughnuts, being careful to not overcrowd the pan. This keeps the oil at the right temperature and keeps the doughnuts from sticking together.

Cook until golden brown on one side, about 4-5 minutes and then turn them over and cook another 3-4 minutes. One of the ways I like to check for doneness is to look at the center of the hole--when it is also golden, I flip them.
If you find you need to add more oil to the pan (you don't want your doughnuts touching or sitting on the bottom of the pan) make sure to remove all doughnuts, add the oil, and wait for the temperature to come back up. If you just add the oil before removing the doughnuts, you will drop the temperature of the oil and the cooler oil just coats the doughnuts instead of cooking them...yuck.
7. When golden on both sides, remove doughnuts and place them on paper towels and allow to cool before glazing.

6. For the glaze, mix 2 cups powdered sugar with 1-2 Tbs. milk or water, I prefer milk, in a bowl that is deep so that you can push the doughnuts down without hitting the bottom and so you can truly coat them. The frosting should slightly ribbon off the whisk.

Dip and push down the tops of the cooled doughnuts and then sprinkle with sprinkles or leave plain.

My 3 year-old doing the sprinkles.

What you are looking in the picture above is sauted apples that have been sealed in a wonton wrapper, deep fried, and then placed atop vanilla ice cream and then drizzled with the yummy syrup from the apples. The result was this crunchy, warm dish that had all the flavors of an apple strudel/apple pie, but better because of the awesome texture and lightness of the pastry, in this case a wonton!

As of late, I've been making the apple compote or filling and just putting it on ice cream because I love the flavors similar to apple pie or crostata, only I'm too lazy to go to the work! But just yesterday, as I was making dinner using won tons, my husband David suggested I do the same thing with apples--thus, he get's his name on the recipe :). As I am always game for something new, I made it and it was a hit!

DAVID'S CRISP APPLE STRUDEL WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM
(Print this Recipe)
Ingredients:

Apple Filling
2 apples, cored, quartered, then thinly sliced
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
3-4 Tbs. cinnamon
1/4 c. chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla

1 package won ton wrappers
water for sealing won tons
vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel, core, and slice the apples thinly. You don't want them paper thin, but you want them thin enough that they will cook quickly.
2. In a medium sauce pan, combine apples, butter, sugar, cinnamons, pecans and vanilla. Saute, covered, over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, heat oil in a dutch oven or large sauce pan, about 3 inches deep, over medium high heat. Once the apples have cooled, place a 1/2 c. of the apple filling in a bowl and use a couple knives to chop it into smaller pieces so it can fit in the wontons.

4. Remove the won ton wrappers from the package and place on a cutting board. You will need a little dish of water and a pastry brush. If you don't have a brush, just dip your fingers in the water instead. If you are going to do a lot, put a damp paper towl over the stack of won tons so they won't dry out. I was only doing a couple, so I don't have one in the photo.

5. Here is how you do the won tons: dip your brush (or finger) in the water and wet the outside edges of the wrapper.

6. Next, take 1 tsp. (pretty much level--you don't want to overstuff the won tons or they will split) and place in the center of your won ton.

7. Place another won ton on the very top and seal the edges, moving from the inside outward in order to get all the air out. Any air that is sealed in may cause the won ton to burst during cooking.

8. Place completed won ton on a plate, WIPE THE CUTTING BOARD so that the next won ton won't stick, and repeat steps 4-8 for more won tons. When you have completed as many won tons as you want to cook, have them all ready on a plate or cookie sheet. *If I am making a large amount, I cover the won tons I've completed and placed on a cookie sheet with a barely damp dish cloth.

9. Test the oil you have heated to see if it is ready. You do this by sticking a wooden spoon, having it touch the bottom of the pot, and watching for bubbles. Bubbles mean the oil is hot enough.

10. Once the oil is ready, drop in no more than 4 won tons if you have a large pan. If you overcrowd the pan, the won tons will stick together. *One thing I DO NOT due is press the won tons down. This causes them to crack and burst open. Just let them hang out, get brown on one side (about 30 sec. or less) and then flip them over to brown the other side. I usually pull them when they are lightly golden. If you wait until they are dark brown, they get overcooked, as they still bubble for a little bit once you pull them out.