Gingerbread Doughnuts & Ghostly Holes

Doughnuts have been a part of my Halloween treats ever since I got married.  Before our girls were born, we'd invite family and friends over for a buffet and in addition to caramel apples, sugar cookie ghosts and black cats, doughnuts were the highlight of my baking for the dessert table.  Yeast doughnuts back then were my favorite, but over the years, I've become a cake doughnut lover, especially since they can be baked.

Gingerbread was on my mind after spending a couple of hours Skyping with my grandson yesterday.  Lately, both he and Maddie want me to tell them "haunted" stories with dark forests and Trolls, and how magically we get to the castle in the meadow.

Coming to the forest edge, Princess Maddie and Spiderman Ari called out to the troll that they want to enter. "What can we give you to let us pass through?" The big, green Troll answers, "What have you baked today?"  They tell him, "we have gingerbread doughnuts!"  "Yum...you can come through the forest if you give me some."

 A pathway appears and the two find there way back to the castle...Mimi's house!  The end.

The house smelled just wonderful with the spices and molasses; drawing in any Trick or Treaters around.  The new pan I bought makes the most yummy holes, Maddie's favorites.  These are rolled in confectioners' sugar, but cinnamon/sugar or even a glaze would be awesome too.

Doughnut holes or Cake Pops can be made in this pan

Gingerbread Doughnuts & Ghostly Holes
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 3/4 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees.  Spray doughnut pan and round ball pan with baking spray.  If you don't have either, you can use a miniature muffin pan.
Heat the water and molasses in a 2 cup measure in the microwave for 40 seconds.  Pour over the softened butter  in a bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the paddle attachment mix on low to combine. 
Add the egg and sugar and mix again--don't worry if it looks curdled.

Add the spices, flour, baking soda and salt with the buttermilk and mix on low.  Remove from the stand mixer and use a spatula to combine it thoroughly; you don't want to overmix.

Use a small scoop to measure batter in the round ball pan and a larger one for the doughnut pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 13 - 15 minutes, testing with a wooden skewer to check for doneness.

Allow to cool.  For the doughnut holes, I melted 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter and place about 1 cup confectioners' in another bowl.  Dip the holes in the butter, then, roll in the confectioners' sugar.

For the larger doughnuts, I mixed up my standard glaze: 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, 1 T Light Karo syrup, 2-3 tablespoons of hot water and 1/2 tsp. Orange Juice Powder.
Dip the doughnuts in the glaze and spread with an off-set spatula.  Sprinkle with colored sugar.

Wouldn't these be nice on a stormy night with a mug of hot chocolate...I bet the Troll would love that too! Enjoy!!

(BTW--On Monday, I will be drawing the name for the October Give-Away because I will be flying out on Tuesday to visit my grandson. )

Black & White Chocolate Pumpkin Doughnuts

 

Today is a special day in our family--our daughter, Kelly's best friend, Kandyce's birthday.  From the day they first met in 7th grade at LaReina High School, they were inseparable; even miles couldn't break their bond.

Happy Birthday to my sweet girls!

Kandyce is a part of our hearts too and knowing how much our girls would have loved to be celebrating their 40th birthday together brings some sadness, but it's also a day to rejoice that Kandyce and her lovely family came into our lives.

I created this Black & White doughnut recipe because of a memory of the two of them one Halloween; the costume(s) they came up with was Salt & Pepper Shakers!  Kelly was pepper and Kandyce was salt, but all day long at school everyone asked them why they didn't do it the other way.  Kelly's answer, "what do you mean!"

So, here's the first (of many) give-aways this month to celebrate Kelly's generous nature...

...a doughnut pan to bake this recipe or your favorite.

Black & White Chocolate Pumpkin Doughnuts
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree'
2 large eggs
1/3 + 1 T sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt

White Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 T very hot water
2 T Karo light syrup

Black Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 T Karo light syrup
3 - 4 T hot water

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Spray doughnut pan with a baking spray and set aside.
In a bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together thoroughly.  Add the pumpkin and mix to combine.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just to combine.  Add the sour cream and mix again.  

Use a 3 Tablespoon scoop to measure the batter into the doughnut pan openings.  

Bake 13 to 15 minutes.  Test by pressing the tops of the doughnuts with your index/middle fingers.

Let cool 5 minutes then invert pan onto a rack to cool completely.

Mix up the White Glaze first.  

Use a small off-set spatula to spread the glaze on half of the doughnut.  While this glaze is setting, mix up the Black Glaze.

 Use the off-set spatula to spread on the other side.  Place the doughnuts on the rack to set.

To be eligible for the doughnut pan, just comment on this post or any others I do between now and October 8th--Kelly's birthday when a name will be drawn.  Enjoy!

   

KAF Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts

It's been no secret, since I started blogging over three years ago (August 13, 2009) that one of my weaknesses in doughnuts:-D  So, when I received a King Arthur Flour email with this recipe this morning, I started drooling all over my keyboard--LOL!  I had pumpkin puree left from making my husband's birthday cake and thanks to a TIP they give, I could use the new Self-Rising Flour they have out.

 How easy.  I know I'm a little early starting pumpkin recipes--it was Kelly's favorite (and her son, Ari), and even if the temperatures aren't saying it's Fall, the leaves covering my lawn and deck sure says it's coming.

These doughnuts are baked in a Wilton pan that not only makes it easy and using the self-rising flour made it faster.

The only thing I changed was that I dipped the tops in melted butter then, a mixture of sugar/pumpkin pie spice.  To view the original recipe go to--Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts.

Begin with beating the sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin puree in a large bowl.  I used a large whisk because after seeing our First Lady Michelle Obama's beautiful biceps and triceps this week at the Democratic National Convention, I couldn't help but want to put in a little extra work in that area:-D

I added the flour and Pumpkin Pie Spice that I've made before on a previous post.

Spray the doughnut pan with a baking spray and scoop the batter into the doughnut wells.  (I like to make sure the "hole" is showing through.)  However, they give the alternative directions if you want to bake muffins instead.

Mine baked at 350F-degrees for 17 minutes.

Allow them to cool slightly in the pan (about 5 to 7 minutes) before turning them out onto a wire rack to continue cooling.

KAF suggests that once they're not so fragile, place doughnuts in a bag and shake to cover with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.  Like I said, I chose to dip the tops in 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter then, a mixture of 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice.

The doughnut are full of flavor and so satisfying to start off a busy day.  I love baking "muffins" in this pan and so did my grands--it's easier for them to pick up and the proportion was perfect!

Thanks KAF!  You made my Friday a truly TGIF!  Enjoy!!

Baked Crullers...a review

When I first spied this new baking pan in Sur La Table a few months ago, the memory that popped in my head was the first Halloween my husband and I celebrated as a couple with some family and friends.

We had been married just about six weeks, but I wanted to have a get-together in our first apartment and share some homemade treats with them.  In addition to caramel dipped apples and appetizers, I thought fresh doughnuts would impress them as I had been making them with my mother years ago.  Fresh, warm doughnuts are just next to heaven!  The cruller, however is somewhat labor intensive and even commercially has to be done by hand, but in my opinion, it's well worth the time.
Crullers date back to the 19th century and the name comes from the Dutch word "krullen," meaning to curl.  Throughout Europe and especially, Germany, they're eaten on Shrove Tuesday.  In North American, they can typically be found in Canada, New England, Mid-Atlantic and North Central states and as far west as California.  In some regions the name cruller has been substituted for just dunking sticks.  In addition, the term "Chinese cruller" is applied to the youtiao that is found in East and Southeast Asia.

My first attempt at making crullers came out perfect, in spite of the hours it took to make them, so when I saw this pan, I thought, "could it be possible to recreate this memory with a lot less time?"  Well, sadly, no, but as you can see, it does make for a very pretty cake that would be welcomed by guests and family for sure.  They're just the right size with a cup of tea for an afternoon break!

Baked Crullers - a Tea Cake
6 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla powder (or 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract)
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cup Cake Flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup sour cream


Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Lightly spray the pan with a non-stick baking spray and set aside.  
In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together completely.  Add the vanilla powder (or extract).

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions.  In a small bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking soda together.  Add to the batter along with the sour cream and mix to combine.  
Divide the batter among the six cruller forms on the pan.

Bake in the preheated oven 18-22 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before turning them out onto a rack.  Prepare a glaze, if desired, or you can immediately coat them with sugar and cinnamon.


Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confections sugar
3-4 T. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla powder or 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract


Mix all ingredients to a smooth glaze and pour over the cakes.


If you like a cinnamon/sugar coating, mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1 T cinnamon in a paper bag and place a warm cake inside.  Shake to coat and repeat with the other 5 cakes.

My disappointment was soon forgotten once I bit into the cake.  

Maybe a new memory was made.  Enjoy!