"You don't make a photography just with your camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.' (Ansel Adams) While I was away visiting one of my closest friends out in Tucson this past week, another friend posted the comment on my Facebook page 'don't you ever sit still?' In my former life I would have answered that question by saying 'sometimes' when the real answer was 'unfortunately, no'. Now in my current life it feels as if I am having more than my fair share of 'still' moments. Although it probably doesn't always look that way to others. Stillness is a concept I am getting used to (and redefining), however, I am slowly beginning to realize its' value in renewing and reenergizing my spirit, my soul. Whenever I give myself permission to have some 'down time' or whenever my body gets to a place of 'exhaustion', I sometimes actually stop 'thinking about all of the things I could or should be doing', instead just savoring the moment. Being one who has always subscribed to the 'life is short' way of thinking, I have come to believe life is much shorter when you don't do things just for you or when you don't step out of the chaos of life. In my world, the feeling of stillness happens when I am taking a long drive, taking in the landscape with my camera, or reading a book. While there may not be the absence of motion in my concept of stillness, there is silence. The kind of silence that allows my mind to stop racing, to stop thinking of a million different related and unrelated things. Instead, what my mind feels is something very close to the euphoria runners sometimes feel when out on a strenuous run. And like all euphorias, they are those things we consciously and subconsciously seek to experience.
I had every intention of paying homage to St. Patrick's Day with a recipe for a dish one might associate with Irish cooking on the blog this week. Let's suffice to say there is a rather long list of excuses of why this didn't happen. Then I thought maybe I should at least make something 'green' in an effort to evoke the spirit of the 'holiday'. This list of excuses of why this didn't happen is significantly shorter. Experiencing a little bit of (Catholic) guilt over this, I thought the least I could do was bring in a bit of 'green' (there is, after all some Irish blood in my heritage). The best I was able to do was incorporating some vintage and antique green dishes in the posting as well as sprinkle (my go-to favorite) pistachios on the doughnuts. If I went through my long list of excuses you might actually think this effort wasn't just one for the 'nice try, but lame' category.
I had seen Sweet Paul's doughnut recipe while I was traveling last week and immediately knew it was one I had to make sooner rather than later. Baked doughnuts are hard enough to resist. Throw in some chocolate and well, wild horses (or even snakes, like the one St. Patrick allegedly rid Ireland of) couldn't keep me from making them.
These doughnuts are made with cake versus all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, eggs, unsalted butter (melted), buttermilk and honey. Other than bringing the eggs and buttermilk to room temperature, these doughnuts require very little advance planning.
What is not to love about a one bowl, no sifting required batter? Mixing the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until blended, the thick batter is similar to that of a quick bread. After watching a recent Cook's Country show I learned about a 'new to me' tool called a 'dough whisk'. It turned out to be perfect for mixing quick breads and doughnuts!
Whether you make these doughnuts mini or regular size, the doughnut pan is filled 3/4 full (or just slightly below the rim). You can fill the pan using a spoon, but using a pastry bag (or ziplock bag with one corner cut off) makes it much easier (as well as less messy).
The doughnuts are baked in a 400 degree preheated oven. Baking time ranges from 5 to 8 minutes for the mini doughnuts and 10 to 12 minutes for the regular sized ones.
Initially I was going to dip the baked doughnuts in a confectionary sugar glaze (colored green, of course), but abandoned that plan in favor of a chocolate ganache glaze. The number of toppings for dipped doughnuts are almost endless. Sprinkles, fresh or toasted coconut, chopped nuts, or mini-chocolate chips are just some of them. For those of you who follow Molly Yeh aka 'the sprinkle queen' you know that sprinkles can transform any baked good into a work of edible art.
These doughnuts are cake-like dense, yet tender. The look and taste of the doughnuts will change depending on which dip (confectionary sugar or chocolate ganache) as well as which toppings used. They are perfect for a morning or afternoon treat as well as perfect to celebrate holidays and important occasions. With the NCAA basketball tournament starting, you might even want to make a tray of these doughnuts topped in your favorite team's colors. Whether you make them before your team plays or after your team plays (and wins) is up to you. Just make them. Who knows, in just one bite you might even experience a little bit of 'doughnut' euphoria.
Glazed Cinnamon Cake and Chocolate Ganache Doughnuts (inspired by Sweet Paul's Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate)
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 Tablespoon honey
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectionary sugar, sifted
2-4 Tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
food coloring, optional
Directions: In a small-medium sized bowl, mix together the confectionary sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth and it reaches the desired consistency. Optional: Stir in food coloring of choice.
Chocolate Ganache
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream, heated
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of sea salt
Directions: Place chopped chocolate or chocolate chips in small-medium bowl. Heat cream until just before the boiling point. Pour heated cream over chocolate. Wait at least one minute before whisking the chocolate and cream until smooth. Whisk in butter and pinch of sea salt until mixture is smooth. Use immediately. If mixture hardens, reheat on low in the microwave or set bowl in a large bowl filled with warm water.
Optional toppings: Sprinkles, coconut, chopped nuts, or mini-chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Spray mini-donut pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
3. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter until blended.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.
5. Spoon batter into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip.
6. Fill donut molds about 3/4 full (just a little below the rim).
7. Bake 5 to 6 minutes for mini donuts (Note: My baking time ranged between 7 and 8 minutes). Baking time for regular sized donuts is 10-12 minutes.
8. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer donuts to cooling rack and set aside to cool.
9. For glaze, mix together confectionary sugar, milk, vanilla, salt and food coloring in a medium sized bowl until well blended.
10. Dip the donuts into the glaze. Optional: Sprinkle with topping(s) of choice.
Garden Gates at Tohono Chul and Mission San Xavier del Bac (White Dove of the Dessert) respectively, both in Tucson, AZ
