Archive Hot

Food Network UK Doughnut Week

I was lucky last week to be invited to a Food Network party to celebrate the 20th anniversary of National Doughnut Week. I was really excited because I love doughnuts! I also made Banana Bread Donuts to celebrate at home!

To celebrate Food Network are having a month of doughnuts. There is a doughnut calendar with a different doughnut every day for the month of May.

There were plenty of doughnuts from Dunn's Bakery to eat! The sale of a doughnut will benefit The Children's Trust. There were plenty of Jam Doughnut Cocktails too! Sweet chocolate raspberry drink with a sugar rim.

MD for the channel Nick giving a speech. Food Network UK is the fourth fastest growing channel on Sky! Pretty impressive since they've only been on the air about a year.

Here's me trying to eat a doughnut without licking my lips! I managed to do it but it's not easy! I did end up with jam all over my dress (it came out though)!

Tristan Welch (head chef at Launceston Place) managed a double decker without licking his lips

Ainsley Harriott was there. I used to watch Ready, Steady Cook all the time when I was a student.

Jun Tanaka, frequently on TV in the UK and Executive Chef at The Pearl. I also spotted Eric Lanlard, Ed Baines and Reza Mohammed.

I managed about three donuts and three cocktails before I was over come with all the sugar!

I had a really great time and everyone was super nice! I also met Abby from The Exquisite Cake Company. She made the doughnuts from the first day on the doughnut calendar.

Here is a video from Food Network UK you tube channel with me trying the doughnut challenge! Eating a doughnut without licking my lips. I'm very briefly here at 8 seconds (making a stupid face) and at 17 seconds.

· awesome, donuts, fruit, london, tv

Banana Bread Donuts

Move over Royal Wedding desserts here come the donuts! I have some exciting donut fun coming up next week (stay tuned for that) but in the meantime I decided to make some! The last donuts I made were Pumpkin Cake Donuts for Thanksgiving.

These are the best donuts I have ever made! The recipe only made about 6 donuts so I took the photos really quickly so I could eat them!

It's a basic cake donut with mushed banana, pecans and cardamom added to the batter.

*This recipe uses very hot oil. Make sure you have the proper equipment*

Banana Bread Donuts

adapted from Doughnuts: Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home (makes 6-12 donuts)

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups plain flour, sifted

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup caster/superfine sugar
1 tsp nutmeg

2 tbs unsalted butter

1 egg

1/3 cup scalded milk (I used soy)

2 tbs plain yogurt (I used soy)

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 mashed bananas

1/4 cup chopped pecans

pinch of cardamom
Rapeseed oil for frying

Glaze
1 1/2 cups (150g) icing sugar, sifted
2 tbs maple syrup
2 tbs milk

1. Scald the milk by bringing it to a near boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Set it aside to cool down. Scalding the milk keeps the donuts fluffy.

2. In a small bowl mash the bananas. Mix in the chopped pecans and cardamom. Set aside for later.

3. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and sugar. Add the butter and blend together with a hand pastry blender. The mixture will be like crumbs.

4. In the cooled saucepan with the scalded milk mix in the yogurt, egg and vanilla. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon. Add in the banana mixture and fold until the batter is thick, similar to cookie dough. Don't over mix or the donuts will be like rubber.

5. Cover the mixture with cling film and set aside for 20 minutes. While that sits get your frying station and glaze ready.

6. Make the glaze by whisking together the icing sugar, maple syrup and milk. Pour 2 inches of oil into a big pan and clip a candy thermometer on.

7. Heat the oil to 360 F. Cut out squares of parchment and grease them lightly. Fill a piping bag with a round tip (big enough to allow the pecans through) with the batter. Pipe rounds on each square.

8. When the oil reaches 360 F put 2 donuts parchment side up in the oil. Using a pair of tongs lift the parchment paper off. Fry on each side for 1-2 minutes (do a test donut first).

9. When done lift the donuts out and place on a paper towel lined plate. Once slightly cooled glaze (I did 2 coats).

These are best enjoyed on the same day they are made (they will go soggy quickly)!

· donuts, fruit, nuts

Ms Cupcake Vegan Bakery Opens in London

Ms. Cupcake opened April 1st in Brixton. She's London's first all vegan bakery. I've been to see her many times in Brick Lane but this was my first ever trip to Brixton! I met Ms. Cupcake at Iron Cupcake almost one year ago.

The shop is very spacious and as you can see the cupcakes are made right there! Not too many shops make their cupcakes on the premises.

Her right hand man Jason was in the shop when I arrived. There he is hard at work making more cupcakes. Anne and I both arrived at the same time and had a coffee outside at Rosie's. I love getting together with my blogging friends for a little cake gossip! My husband and co-workers can only take some much cake talk.

The shop has huge windows all at the front and it was incredibly bright hence all the glare on the cupcake cases. I bought a key lime cupcake to take home with me. The frosting was great and had a really nice lime flavor.

They also have a few vegan books and cupcake paraphernalia for sale.

Anne and I were both tempted down to the bakery by these babies. Vegan donuts! I have never had a vegan donut before and they taste no different than a regular donut. If there is a baked good that London is missing it's donuts. I have made a few of my own donuts.

Jason prepared us a whole plate of goodies to try! I enjoyed the Boston Cream donut the most but the custard was a bit absorbed into the donut. I think that the cookie sandwiches are my new favorite. I really liked the vanilla one and I could eat 10 of them!

I'll definitely be back!

View Larger Map

· cupcake paraphernalia, cupcakes, donuts, yummy places

Duffins - The Donut Muffin

All I have to say is that these are awesome. Is it a donut? Is it a muffin? It's a baked donut in the shape of a muffin that tastes like a donut...Whatever it is it's fun and it's tasty!

brush tops with melted butter and top with cinnamon and sugar for an alternative topping

My Dad found these on the Internet for me after my aunt went to a Mimi's cafe and they had something similar. She had to call and tell him about them! Yes, we love food that much in our family.

Duffins

adapted from Mama Foodie (makes 12)

Ingredients

170g unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar (fill just shy of the top)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups plain flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 + 1/3 cup milk

1/8 cup buttermilk

1 bar semi-sweet chocolate

sprinkles for decorating

1. Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C and grease a 12 cup muffin tray generously. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then add in the vanilla.

2. Sift together the flour, baking power, nutmeg and salt in a small bowl. Combine the milk and buttermilk in another small bowl.

3. Mix a quarter of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and alternate with the wet ingredients. End with the dry ingredients and don't over mix.

4. Scoop the batter filling the muffin cups with enough batter to be just about level with the top.

5. Bake the muffins until firm to the touch, 30-35 minutes.

6. Let the muffins cool for a few minutes but when still warm melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 1-2 minutes. Then add a few tablespoons of cream or vegetable oil and stir. Spoon the chocolate on top of each muffin and immediately add the sprinkles. Best served warm!

· chocolate, donuts, muffins

Pumpkin Cake Donuts

I had leftover pumpkin from when I made pumpkin cupcakes (which I encourage everyone to try, some of the best I've ever made). What better way to use it up than to make pumpkin donuts! There aren't many donuts on offer in England. Krispy Kreme's and the grocery store made donuts and that's about it. I hope gourmet donuts take off here soon.

Also unfair that a full range of fall flavors is available at Dunkin Donuts. Even Pumpkin lattes! I've made my own before but it's just not the same.

I've been practicing with my SLR camera. For someone that is not artistic in any way it's not easy. I had to read the first chapter of my beginners book about 3 times. I don't want to move on to the next chapter until I really understand the first chapter.

I halved this recipe and I still ended up with way more donuts than I could possibly eat. These are best eaten on the same day they're made. Cake donuts are easy because there's no yeast to worry about. I prefer the taste of cake donuts myself.

Pumpkin Cake Donuts

adapted from Flour Girl

Ingredients

Sugar Coating

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

Donut Batter

1 3/4 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp baking soda
dash of ground nutmeg
dash of ground cloves
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbs unsalted butter at room temperature
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk (I used soy milk with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar)
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
Rapeseed oil for frying

1. Mix all the ingredients for the sugar coating in a small bowl

2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves.

3. Using an electric mixer beat together the butter and sugar until combined. Beat in the eggs and the egg yolks.

4. Gradually beat in the buttermilk and then beat the pumpkin in two additions.

5. Fold in the flour mixture using a rubber spatula. Cover and chill for 3 hours.

6. With generously floured hands, work surface and rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/2 inch thick (I took a handful or two of flour and worked it into the dough as it was a little sticky).

7. Using a donut cutter cut as many donuts as possible out of the dough. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Save the holes for frying as well. Roll any scraps out to make more donuts and holes.

8. Pour the oil into a heavy bottomed pan and heat to 360 F using a thermometer.

9. Drop a few donuts or holes into the pan at a time and cook for one and a half minutes to two minutes on one side and then flip and cook for an additional minute until golden brown. Remove from the pan carefully and place on a paper towel lined baking sheet (do a test batch with 1 or 2 holes first).

10. Allow the oil to heat back up to 360 F between batches. While waiting roll the warm donuts in the sugar coating.

· donuts, Halloween, holidays, pumpkin, thanksgiving

Archive HOT

Food Network UK Doughnut Week

Banana Bread Donuts

Ms Cupcake Vegan Bakery Opens in London

Duffins - The Donut Muffin

Pumpkin Cake Donuts

Lưu trữ Blog