I've always been intrigued by the idea of making donuts, but it always sounded super messy and I just didn't want to deal with all the grease. But last fall I bought several pumpkins and butternut squash to cook, puree, and freeze and now I am finding myself looking for recipes to use it all in. Plus I have this refined coconut oil that I accidentally bought and I really don't like very well, so I needed something to use it all in. Not sure why, but for some reason pumpkin donuts sounded amazing, so Ben and I gave some a try. The results were addictingly delicious.
I started with a recipe I found here and then adapted it a bit to use what I had on hand and to cut down the sweetener. I totally forgot to take pictures and they were so tasty that I took them over to my parents house so I wouldn't eat them all.
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Donuts
3 1/2 - 4 cups white whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup sucanat or brown sugar
3 Tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup +1 Tablespoon butter milk (I subbed 1/2 cup unsweet almond milk + 1 Tablespoon lemon juice)
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 quarts oil for frying - I used expeller pressed refined coconut oil, but I'm sure canola or some other oil without a lot of flavor would work well.
Mix the first 8 ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla and pumpkin. Fold milk mixture and melted butter into the dry mixture using a wooden spoon and mix just until well combined. Dough should be soft but not overly sticky. Add more flour as necessary. Sprinkle flour onto counter top and roll dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out using a floured cookie cutter or upside down cup. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut a hole in the center of the donut and set it aside for donut holes. (our donut holes were mini hearts because that was the only small cookie cutter I had.) Heat oil over medium heat in a 4-5 quart soup pot. When oil is hot, drop a few donuts at a time into the pot and cook 2 minutes before flipping with a slotted spoon. Continue cooking until both sides are golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with powdered sugar or glaze with a powdered sugar and milk combination. These are best when still warm, but will stay crisp and delicious even after cooling.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Comfort Food - Soft Pretzel Bites
It has been COLD here lately and for some reason cold weather makes me want warm carb filled foods. Yesterday the craving hit and I decided to try adapting a soft pretzel recipe to make it a bit healthier. The result was delicious and definitely fit the comfort food category.
Whole Wheat Soft Pretzel Bites
Find the original recipe here.
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons sucanat
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (or one package)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
4 to 4 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon wheat gluten
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg beaten with one tablespoon water
sea salt (If I would have had course salt, I would have used that)
Combine water, sucanat, yeast, and melted butter. Let stand 5 minutes and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, add sea salt, gluten and 2 to 3 cups of flour. Mix until well combined. Continue adding remaining flour until dough is soft and pliable, but not sticky. Transfer dough to a greased bowl. Cover and let stand in a warm place until double. This time of year, I turn on the oven for about a minute and then turn it off and let my yeast doughs sit inside until risen.
Preheat oven to 425.
In a large pot, combine 3 quarts water with 3/4 cup baking soda. Bring to a boil. Divide dough into eight equal portions and roll each portion into a rope. Cut into bite size pieces and drop 15-20 pieces into the baking soda water. Boil for 30 seconds and transfer to a greased cookie sheet. Continue until all pretzel bites are boiled. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot. I haven't tried it yet, but I imagine these would freeze well and you could just pull out a few and reheat in the oven for a quick and tasty snack.
Matt made a quick little cheese sauce for his, but since my body has decided not to get along with very much dairy, I dipped mine in honey mustard sauce. But even plain, these little bites were tasty!
Whole Wheat Soft Pretzel Bites
Find the original recipe here.
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons sucanat
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (or one package)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
4 to 4 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon wheat gluten
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg beaten with one tablespoon water
sea salt (If I would have had course salt, I would have used that)
Combine water, sucanat, yeast, and melted butter. Let stand 5 minutes and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, add sea salt, gluten and 2 to 3 cups of flour. Mix until well combined. Continue adding remaining flour until dough is soft and pliable, but not sticky. Transfer dough to a greased bowl. Cover and let stand in a warm place until double. This time of year, I turn on the oven for about a minute and then turn it off and let my yeast doughs sit inside until risen.
Preheat oven to 425.
In a large pot, combine 3 quarts water with 3/4 cup baking soda. Bring to a boil. Divide dough into eight equal portions and roll each portion into a rope. Cut into bite size pieces and drop 15-20 pieces into the baking soda water. Boil for 30 seconds and transfer to a greased cookie sheet. Continue until all pretzel bites are boiled. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot. I haven't tried it yet, but I imagine these would freeze well and you could just pull out a few and reheat in the oven for a quick and tasty snack.
Matt made a quick little cheese sauce for his, but since my body has decided not to get along with very much dairy, I dipped mine in honey mustard sauce. But even plain, these little bites were tasty!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
January Temptation
Now that January is here and we are all determined to eat healthier and exercise more, I'm finally going to post our Christmas cinnamon roll recipe. Just keep it in mind for next year, or for some Saturday morning when you're feeling like indulging.
We have had cinnamon rolls for breakfast every Christmas since we've been married. I used to use a recipe that my great grandma made, but it was difficult to follow as much of it was just the ingredients and not the actual amount. Then, a few years ago I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine. I've altered it a bit to add in whole grains and we love it.
Whole Wheat Mini Maple Cinnamon Rolls
2/3 cup milk, heated to 115 degrees
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons gluten
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Filling
1/2 cup sucanat
2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold butter
Maple Icing
1 cup confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 to 2 teaspoons milk
Combine milk and yeast and let sit until bubbly. In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, gluten, and salt. Mix in butter. While mixing, add in egg, maple syrup, and yeast mixture. Mix several minutes until it comes together as a soft dough. Divide dough in half and roll each half into two rectangles. In a small bowl, combine sucanat, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles a thick paste. Divide the mixture and press onto each rectangle. Prepare to get messy because this is best done with your hands. Once the mixture is evenly spread over dough, roll up jelly-roll style and pinch the seam to seal. Cut each roll into 12 slices and place in a greased 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. If they brown too quickly, place a piece of foil lightly over the top and continue baking until done. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. In a small mixing bowl, combine confectioner's sugar, syrup, butter, and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Spread over warm rolls.
We have had cinnamon rolls for breakfast every Christmas since we've been married. I used to use a recipe that my great grandma made, but it was difficult to follow as much of it was just the ingredients and not the actual amount. Then, a few years ago I found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine. I've altered it a bit to add in whole grains and we love it.
Whole Wheat Mini Maple Cinnamon Rolls
2/3 cup milk, heated to 115 degrees
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons gluten
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Filling
1/2 cup sucanat
2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold butter
Maple Icing
1 cup confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 to 2 teaspoons milk
Combine milk and yeast and let sit until bubbly. In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, gluten, and salt. Mix in butter. While mixing, add in egg, maple syrup, and yeast mixture. Mix several minutes until it comes together as a soft dough. Divide dough in half and roll each half into two rectangles. In a small bowl, combine sucanat, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles a thick paste. Divide the mixture and press onto each rectangle. Prepare to get messy because this is best done with your hands. Once the mixture is evenly spread over dough, roll up jelly-roll style and pinch the seam to seal. Cut each roll into 12 slices and place in a greased 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. If they brown too quickly, place a piece of foil lightly over the top and continue baking until done. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. In a small mixing bowl, combine confectioner's sugar, syrup, butter, and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Spread over warm rolls.
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