Glazed Chocolate Donuts

In usual Sand Sugar and Sun fashion I should be starting this blog post with a photo relating to the recipe I am blogging.  However, the few photos I took are quite honestly not that great. So ‘sorry’ in advance.  The above photo was taken last Thursday which was National Margarita Day (a holiday I can really get behind!)

This past Sunday I attended an Oscar viewing at my friends house and I have been craving Dunkin’ Donuts so I decided to whip up some donut holes.

I want to just begin by saying I am no stranger to frying.  Deep frying, pan frying….I consider myself comfortable doing these things.  Also, I have NEVER used a thermometer when frying.  Not even when deep frying and not even when a recipe calls for it.  And I’ve made many a successful beignet, chicken cutlet, squash blossom, you name it, to prove I am fry competent.

Last Sunday when I made these donuts, though, it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing.  The oil got so freaking hot (smoking- that’s never good!) that it burnt and even now, on Tuesday night, my entire apartment smells like burnt oil. I have had all the windows open and several candles burning, but still the smell lingers.  In a bad way.  And then in an act of desperation I sprayed CK One (summer edition!) all over the dang place and really….that wasn’t a good idea.

I was able to toss the oil and start fresh before I began frying, so all ending up being fine. The donuts were utterly delicious and consumed outside of my stinky  apartment.

Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes

2.5 C flour

1 C unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 C buttermilk

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

vegetable oil for frying

Glaze

2.5 C powdered sugar

4-5 tablespoons milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  If the mixture is very lumpy quickly sift it.

In separate bowl whisk together buttermilk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and cooled melted butter.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until a dough forms.

Roll dough into small balls (they double in size when added to the oil – you want the finished fried product to be smaller than a golf ball).

In a large pot heat oil over medium low heat.  If you are using a thermometer, bring up to 350 F.  Other wise you are looking for the oil to begin glistening on the bottom.  It should look like little waves are forming under the oil.  At this point turn the oil down, not off, and add a small scrap of dough to test.  If the dough fries at a slow calm pace you’re ready to being frying.  Otherwise, cool or heat oil accordingly.  Just remember oil heats incredibly fast, so turn it down as the ideal temp is reached.

Add the dough balls 2-3 at a time and flip a few times for 2-3 minutes.  Transfer to a plate with paper towels to cool.

Once all donuts are fried combine all glaze ingredients in medium bowl.  You can add more milk as needed to create a thin glaze.  Drop a few donuts at a time in the glaze then transfer to rack to set.

xx enjoy

 

Orange Rosemary Cornbread

Remember when I posted about brown butter? My excitement for the whole thing was really real. So when I saw this recipe for corn bread, and then saw that it called for brown butter, I IMMEDIATELY went to the grocery store to get all the ingredients.  And then here we are.

I sort of consider corn bread a dessert.  Before you click out of the browser and declare me lame let’s remember that I really don’t like sweet desserts and this specific corn bread is really buttery and cakey.  So if anything, let’s call it a savory dessert.  Or a savory sort of sweet eat 3x a day kind of snack.

In case you’re unaware, which would be near impossible, there is a snow storm named after a cartoon fish happening in NY.  This morning my Dad sent me 7 or so videos of the snow and I felt like he was kind of bragging.  Even though he was probably video-complaining. There also happens to be a snow storm up in Big Bear, one of the mountain areas here in CA.  When I heard about that I was over the moon excited because I can feasibly go play in that snow.  But no.  There happens to be a crazed ex-police officer on the loose in freakin’ Big Bear of all places.  So no snow.  Not for me, not now.  Let’s just eat corn bread instead.

 

Orange Rosemary Cornbread

adapted from Joy the Baker

1/2 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup corn meal (I used medium grind)

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by greasing and flouring your pan, then lining with parchment paper.  I used a round cake pan or you can use an 8 x 8 in square pan.

Use a small saucepan to brown the butter oven medium-low heat.  You’ll know the butter is finished browning when the crackling stops.  When it’s finished set aside in a small bowl to cool.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, juice and butter.

In a large bowl combine sugar, zest and chopped rosemary.  Make sure this is well blended.  Then, add flour, cornmeal, salt and baking soda. Stir to combine.

Add the wet ingredient to the dry and stir to combine.  Isn’t this recipe awesome, not calling for electric mixers?!

Pour batter into pan and bake 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve warm with butter and jam.  I enjoyed mine with apricot.

xx

Book Club Fun

A few months ago I joined a book club.  Admittedly, it took a little convincing from my friends to join.  In retrospect I’m not really sure why that was…because week night wine, cheese and crackers, reading…it’s really right up my alley.  This month was my turn to host and I was incredibly excited about the opportunity to entertain.  I was also super excited to discuss our book Gone Girl.  Have you heard of it? Seriously, even if you aren’t in a cool book club like me, make time for this book.  Or heck start a book club just to discuss this book.  You’ll need some one to talk to after you read it.

Okay I’m going to interrupt myself here – The 5 Year Engagement is on in the background as I type this….and the part where they are trying to pronounce the professor’s dog’s name? Gets me every time.

For book club I decided on buffalo chicken bites and garlic oven fries.  I planned to post both recipes but the fries got eaten up so quickly I didn’t get a chance to get any photos!  They were really yummy (sorry, don’t mean to rub it in).  I’ll absolutely be making them again in the very near future, even if it’s just for myself, and I will be sure to properly photo and blog them.  In the mean time I’ll tell you about these awesome buffalo chicken bites.

I’m not much into bar food unless it’s a french fry covered in cheese or a boneless wing.  If it has a bone inside it is really NOT the same.  I’m a total girl for saying that and I don’t care.  I’ve tried almost every brand of the buffalo bite that you can cook at home (Tyson, TGIF) and inevitably they become very hard and un-appitizing when baked up at home. This recipe is the perfect solution and is almost as easy as heating up the frozen ones.  Also, my book club was pretty impressed.  It’s a crowd pleaser.

Buffalo Chicken Bites

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 C Hot Sauce (I used Frank’s Buffalo Style)

1 lb ground chicken

1 large egg

1 celery stalk, minced

3/4 C plain bread crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

Pre-heat the oven to 450 and coat the bottom of a baking dish with the vegetable oil.

In a saucepan combine the butter and hot sauce over low heat, whisking until the butter is completely melted.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

In a bowl combine all the ingredients and mix together (use your hands, it’s okay).  Then, roll into little golf ball size balls and place into baking dish. Make sure they are all touching in the pan.

Roast in oven for 20-30 minutes or until they are firm and cooked through.

Allow the balls to cool for about five minutes in the pan before serving.  I served mine with ranch and celery.  And lots of wine.

xx