Maple~Pecan Doughnut Puffs and June's Give-Away Apron

We've heard of the Cronuts; a croissant dough that is shaped into a doughnut and fried.  It's a trademarked pastry that was invented by New York pastry chef, Dominque Ansel.  As an alternative and much lighter version, I made up a pate a choux dough and piped it into a doughnut pan to bake this morning.  To top it off, I made a Maple Pecan icing because one of my favorite doughnuts, when we lived in the Pacific Northwest, was "Top Pots" Maple Bars.

This dough is typically used to make profiteroles, eclairs, crullers, beignets, gougeres, and the list goes on.  The only ingredients are water, butter, flour, and eggs, so instead of a leavening agent, it employs high moisture content to create steam during cooking to "puff" the pastry.

Maple~Pecan Doughnut Puffs
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup water
1 1/4 cups + 2T King Arthur all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
3 T sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups Confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)
3-4 T milk
1 tsp. Maple Extract
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans (toasting is optional)

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Two doughnut pans.

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter in the water.  When it comes to a boil, remove from the heat and add the flour.  Quickly stir in the flour, then, lower heat and return the pan to the stove top.  Stir for about 3 minutes to make sure the flour is "cooked" into the dough.

Transfer dough to a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, start beating the dough on medium low speed.  After a few minutes, start adding the eggs, one at a time, raising the speed to medium to incorporate each egg.  Add the salt and beat again.  If you like a sweeter dough, add the sugar, but it is optional.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat once more.

Spoon the batter into a piping bag, fitted with a 3/4-inch round tip.  Pipe the dough into the wells of the pan.

This recipe makes about 9 doughnuts, so if you don't have another pan, you will have to do two batches.  Bake in the preheat oven about 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and "dry" looking.  Remove from the oven and immediately turn the pans upside down to release the doughnuts.  Allow to cool slightly before spreading on the glaze.

This "puffs" were light and airy and I felt no guilt from having a doughnut after exercising this morning. Enjoy!

This month's apron is definitely a "Happy" one.  When I go to my local quilt shop to pick out fabrics for the apron, sometimes, I have to walk around a few times before I see the perfect ones.  This time, these two fabrics hit me right away and no wonder--they are Moda fabrics and the collection is called, "Leave a Little Love Where Ever You Go!"  That's exactly how I feel when I sew these aprons and give them away in memory of my mother.  If you would like to win this one, just comment on any of the posts this month and your name could be drawn--good luck!