I have so much to get done, but as usual I am in full procrastination mode. Jam and I leave for our Southeast Asia travels in four days, and the most productive thing I can find to do is write this blog post. I think the guilt finally got to me, I fully abondoned all of you. But I'm back, and you can plan on me writing at least once a week when we touch down. For now though, I've packed up almost all my belongings and moved them all home. My dear mama and I spent at least an hour last night trying to figure out how to googlechat, clearly neither one of us is techsavy. I like coming home for days at a time. My mama and I spend afternoons leausurely, moving about, talking, swapping stories... sometimes just listening to the radio as we tinker in the kitchen. We sat on the couch last night, discussing my Asia itinarary, hands intwined. Our hands are so similar, I'm always reminded of that when they're side-by-side. Hands that are covered with intersecting palm lines, making them look weathered beyond their years.
Today I say goodbye to my roommates, clear out the last of my belongings from my apartment, and say farewell to Burlington for the next four months. The exciement of our upcoming trip has distracted me, and it's all a bit bittersweet. A year spent with some wonderful beings, a year that I got to know Jam's close friends and now can call them my close friends. A year that felt a bit monumental, I grew up. I found that I truly love what I do. Money may be tight at times, but working in kitchens is what my heart and soul loves and desires. I spent as much time as possible this year learning, teaching myself how to cook, reading blogs, exploring myself as a cook, a baker. The exciement of it all, the pride, the happiness that comes from nourishing the poeple I love feels so good.
I'm a bit overhwelmed with all that I need to get done. My clothing is spread all over our kitchen floor. My dear madre forced me to sort through all of it this afternoon; "dirty, clean?" Whenever I go on big trips I always plan on packing and repacking my bag at least twice. A few of my clothing choices were already shot down with that disapproving look of hers. Holding up a favorite tank of mine, she cringes "that looks like a rag," I tell her it's just worn in.
After frolicking about today, we return home exhausted. She agrees to wash all my laundry, I agree to make dinner. After dinner we sip on tea, and munch on leftover christmas cookies. There have been sporadic moments in which her eyes well up, she's nervous for our departure, our safety. A subject that is made a bit lighter when we imagine the scene at the airport when she drops us off, a sobbing mama, most likely a sobbing daughter, and a cool and collected Jam.
Amisdt all the chaos, I made my favorite yeasted donuts. I wanted to make one more sweet treat for my roomates before I left. This is my go-to donut recipe. This cookbook has been with me for years now, recipes visited then revisisted, then revamped to my liking. You can fill these donuts with whatever your heart desires. I whipped up a bit of lemon curd and lightened it with a bit of whipped cream.
Love and light. Lets stay in touch. oxox
Flour Bakery Donuts
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
7 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cut into 6-8 pieces
canola oil for frying
1. In a stand mixer fitched with the dough hook (or a hand-held mixer), combine the yeast and milk. Stir together briefly, then let sit for about 1 minute to dissolve the yeast. Add the flour, 1/3 cup of the sugar, the salt, and the eggs and mix on low speed for about 1 minute, or until the dough comes together. Then, still on on low speed, mix for another 2 to 3 minutes to develop the dough further. Now, begin to add the butter, a few pieces at a time, and continueto mix for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the butter is fully incorporated.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 15 hours.
3. Lightly flour a baking sheet. On a well-floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch sqaure about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-to-4-inch round biscut cutter (I cut them into squares by hand), cut out 9 doughnuts. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot to rise for 2 to 3 hours, or until they are about doubled in height and feel poufy and pillowy.
3. When ready to fry, line with paper towels a tray or baking sheet large enough to hold the doughnuts. Pour oil to a depth of about 3 inches into a large, heavy saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until hot. To test the oil, throw in a pinch of of flour. If it sizzles on contact, the oil is ready. (It should be 350 degrees F if you are using a thermometer.) Working in batches, place the doughnuts in the hot oil, being careful not to crowd them. Fry on the first side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until brown. Then gently flip them and fry for another 2 to 3 minuts, or until brown on the second side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to the prepared tray and let cool for a few minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
4. At this point you can either toss the doughnuts in the remaning 1 cup of sugar, or glaze the doughnuts using the recipe below. If you choose to make the glaze, fill the doughnuts first. Let the doughnuts fully cool before filling.
Lemon Curd Filling
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine the lemon juice, butter, and cream. Place over medium-high heat and heat to just under a boil. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks until blended, then slowly whisk in the sugar until combined. Remove the lemon juice mixture from the heat and gradually whisk a little of it into the sugar-egg mixture. Continue whisking the hot liquid into the sugar-egg mixture, a little at a time, until all of it has been incporporated.
2. When all of th hot liquid has been incorporared, return the contents of the bowl to the saucepan, and return the saucepan to medium heat. Cook, stirring continuoisly with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom frequently to prevent the eggs from scrambling for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon thickly. To test, draw your finger along the back of the spoon; the curd should hold the trail fro a second or two before it fills.
3. Remove the curd from the heat and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the salt and vanilla. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the curd so that a "skin" does not form. Alllow to fully cool in the refrigerator.
4. Once cooled, whip up about a cup of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled lemon curd.
5. I find the easiest way to fill donuts is either using a pastry bag, or a ziploc bag with a corner snipped off.
Dougnut Glaze
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Add the milk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Glaze the doughnuts and then place on a cooling rack until glaze is fully set.
Today I say goodbye to my roommates, clear out the last of my belongings from my apartment, and say farewell to Burlington for the next four months. The exciement of our upcoming trip has distracted me, and it's all a bit bittersweet. A year spent with some wonderful beings, a year that I got to know Jam's close friends and now can call them my close friends. A year that felt a bit monumental, I grew up. I found that I truly love what I do. Money may be tight at times, but working in kitchens is what my heart and soul loves and desires. I spent as much time as possible this year learning, teaching myself how to cook, reading blogs, exploring myself as a cook, a baker. The exciement of it all, the pride, the happiness that comes from nourishing the poeple I love feels so good.
I'm a bit overhwelmed with all that I need to get done. My clothing is spread all over our kitchen floor. My dear madre forced me to sort through all of it this afternoon; "dirty, clean?" Whenever I go on big trips I always plan on packing and repacking my bag at least twice. A few of my clothing choices were already shot down with that disapproving look of hers. Holding up a favorite tank of mine, she cringes "that looks like a rag," I tell her it's just worn in.
After frolicking about today, we return home exhausted. She agrees to wash all my laundry, I agree to make dinner. After dinner we sip on tea, and munch on leftover christmas cookies. There have been sporadic moments in which her eyes well up, she's nervous for our departure, our safety. A subject that is made a bit lighter when we imagine the scene at the airport when she drops us off, a sobbing mama, most likely a sobbing daughter, and a cool and collected Jam.
Amisdt all the chaos, I made my favorite yeasted donuts. I wanted to make one more sweet treat for my roomates before I left. This is my go-to donut recipe. This cookbook has been with me for years now, recipes visited then revisisted, then revamped to my liking. You can fill these donuts with whatever your heart desires. I whipped up a bit of lemon curd and lightened it with a bit of whipped cream.
Love and light. Lets stay in touch. oxox
Flour Bakery Donuts
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
7 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, cut into 6-8 pieces
canola oil for frying
1. In a stand mixer fitched with the dough hook (or a hand-held mixer), combine the yeast and milk. Stir together briefly, then let sit for about 1 minute to dissolve the yeast. Add the flour, 1/3 cup of the sugar, the salt, and the eggs and mix on low speed for about 1 minute, or until the dough comes together. Then, still on on low speed, mix for another 2 to 3 minutes to develop the dough further. Now, begin to add the butter, a few pieces at a time, and continueto mix for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the butter is fully incorporated.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 15 hours.
3. Lightly flour a baking sheet. On a well-floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch sqaure about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-to-4-inch round biscut cutter (I cut them into squares by hand), cut out 9 doughnuts. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot to rise for 2 to 3 hours, or until they are about doubled in height and feel poufy and pillowy.
3. When ready to fry, line with paper towels a tray or baking sheet large enough to hold the doughnuts. Pour oil to a depth of about 3 inches into a large, heavy saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until hot. To test the oil, throw in a pinch of of flour. If it sizzles on contact, the oil is ready. (It should be 350 degrees F if you are using a thermometer.) Working in batches, place the doughnuts in the hot oil, being careful not to crowd them. Fry on the first side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until brown. Then gently flip them and fry for another 2 to 3 minuts, or until brown on the second side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to the prepared tray and let cool for a few minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
4. At this point you can either toss the doughnuts in the remaning 1 cup of sugar, or glaze the doughnuts using the recipe below. If you choose to make the glaze, fill the doughnuts first. Let the doughnuts fully cool before filling.
Lemon Curd Filling
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine the lemon juice, butter, and cream. Place over medium-high heat and heat to just under a boil. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks until blended, then slowly whisk in the sugar until combined. Remove the lemon juice mixture from the heat and gradually whisk a little of it into the sugar-egg mixture. Continue whisking the hot liquid into the sugar-egg mixture, a little at a time, until all of it has been incporporated.
2. When all of th hot liquid has been incorporared, return the contents of the bowl to the saucepan, and return the saucepan to medium heat. Cook, stirring continuoisly with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom frequently to prevent the eggs from scrambling for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon thickly. To test, draw your finger along the back of the spoon; the curd should hold the trail fro a second or two before it fills.
3. Remove the curd from the heat and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the salt and vanilla. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the curd so that a "skin" does not form. Alllow to fully cool in the refrigerator.
4. Once cooled, whip up about a cup of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled lemon curd.
5. I find the easiest way to fill donuts is either using a pastry bag, or a ziploc bag with a corner snipped off.
Dougnut Glaze
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Add the milk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Glaze the doughnuts and then place on a cooling rack until glaze is fully set.
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