Baked Pepper Jelly Cream Cheese Donuts

Inspired by my favorite donuts at Ike & Jane and by the desire to make donuts without having to fry them and subsequently dispose of vast quantities of oil, I adapted a recipe for baked donuts on 101 Cookbooks to create Pepper Jelly filled donuts with a cream cheese frosting. They certainly wowed the crowd with a flavor similar to sweet rolls paired with the slight heat of the jam and the creaminess from a dab of frosting.

Baked Pepper Jelly Filled Donuts with Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks. Makes 1 1/2 - 2 dozen medium doughnuts.

1 1/3 cups warm milk, 95 to 105 degrees (divided)
1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
5 cups all-purpose flour
Couple pinches of nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 jar of pepper jelly
1 cup Confectioners Sugar
4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 stick of butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla. extract
Optional: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Optional: sugar to dust

1. Warm milk slowly in the microwave until its about as hot as the average hot water out of your kitchen sink. But err on the side of less warm because if the milk's too hot you may kill the yeast. Place 1/3 cup of the warm milk into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast and set aside for five minutes or so. Stir the butter and sugar into the remaining cup of warm milk and add it to the yeast mixture. With a fork, stir in the eggs, nutmeg, and salt. Add the flour and stir just until the flour is incorporated. Pour the mixture into a food processor and pulse with the dough blade; otherwise use a hand or stand mixer on medium. If your dough is overly sticky, add flour a few tablespoons at a time. Too dry? Add more milk a bit at a time. The dough should pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl and eventually become supple and smooth. I actually skipped this last step for lack of counter space and things turned out fine, but do the following if you choose: turn it out onto a floured counter-top, knead a few times (the dough should be barely sticky), and shape into a ball.

2. Transfer the dough to a buttered (or oiled) bowl, cover, put in a warm place. Heidi Swanson suggested turning on the oven at this point and setting the bowl on top. I left mine in the dining room and obviously (see image below) things rose just fine. Let rise for an hour or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.
 

3. Punch down the dough and roll it out to about 1/2-inch thick on a floured surface. Use a 2-3 inch cutter  (cookie cutter, wine glass, etc) to stamp out circles. Transfer the circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you are not creating filled donuts, here is when you would stamp out the smaller inner circle for the hole. Over estimate how big the hole needs to be because a small hole will simply expand together when cooking. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise for another 45 minutes. If you are not baking them all right now, leave the shaped donuts on a baking sheet, covered, overnight for second baking the next day. They are best when eaten immediately. An hour before you are ready to bake the donuts, take them out and let rise in a warm place before baking.

 

4. Bake in a 375 degree oven until the bottoms are just golden, 8 to 10 minutes - start checking around 8. In this case, under-baking is better than over-baking.

5. Remove the doughnuts from the oven. Optional: brush with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Pipe jelly into the insides and spread cream cheese frosting on top.

Chocolate Cake: Two Ways

I'll be the first to admit that it took me a long while to become a chocolate cake person. Chocolate ice cream, no. Chocolate cake, yes. But as with most things we didn't like as kids, it was because I hadn't had a truly good chocolate cake until later in life. I've since realized that for me, the two key components that determine if I'll like (and later crave) a chocolate cake are moistness and subtle coffee flavor.

Today I want to share my two favorite chocolate cake recipes - one vegan and one not. Yes, you heard me, a vegan cake, a vegan cake that puts many typical chocolate cakes to shame. The other cake is classic chocolate cake recipe I learned in a French cooking class. These are my two standbys and I hope they can become yours.

Vegan Chocolate Death Cake
from The Grit

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Icing
1 12oz. package firm silken tofu
3 cups vegan chocolate chips (many semisweet brands contain no dairy)

A blend of wholesome soybeans, water and natural coagulant is poured into each of these little boxes. Once sealed, the mixture magically transforms into creamy, silken tofu right in the box. Cool, huh?

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease three 9 inch round cake pans, dust with flour and line bottom with parchment paper.
2. Sift together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil and vanilla extract. Beat together on low until fully combined. On medium speed, gradually blend in coffee. When the mixture is smooth, add vinegar and blend on low speed until just combined.
3. Divide batter into the pans and bake 20 to 25 minute or until a knife or toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting and eating.
4. For icing: Drain excess fluid from silken tofu, crush and place in a medium saucepan with chocolate chips. Stir together over medium hear until chocolate is very soft. Puree in a food processor until fully blended. Cool  before frosting. Top with edible purple violets for a lovely look.

Classic Chocolate Cake

butter, for grreasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken (If you're tired of buttermilk going bad between cakes, try using Dry Powdered Cultured Buttermilk Blend at 4 Tbsp. to a cup of water. Don't forget to refrigerate after opening.)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large to extra-large eggs, at room temperature (Put in hot water for 1 minute if in a hurry)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee


Icing
1/2 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream, or more if needed
1 16oz. bow confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour two 8 inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix gently with a fork until combined.
3. In another bowl, add the vanilla to the eggs. Then add the buttermilk and oil and combine.
4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry using a stand mixer if you have one or beat on low with a hand mixer. Still on low, slowly add the coffee and stir just until combined.
5. Pout the batter into the pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a knife or toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes before frosting and/or eating.
6. For icing: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil and transfer to mixing bowl. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat with a mixer until it reaches spreadable consistency. Add more heavy cream, a tablespoon at a time, to reach the desired thickness. Frost and sprinkle with nuts if desired.

Pizza

Homemade pizza is one of those things that always serves your deepest craving. Not only is it delicious and generally much better than pizza you'd buy, it's a great way to use up vegetables left in your fridge, it's easy and fun to do with friends, and it allows for endless creativity.

I want to share some of my past pizza concoctions while reminding you that honestly, the sky is the limit when it comes to homemade pizza. I can't really imagine any combination of ingredients that would not work out based on any reason besides personal distaste.

First, the crust - thanks to grocery stores like Trader Joe's and Publix, it is as simple as a quick drive to the store and a couple of bucks to obtain ready-to-bake pizza dough. This is a great option when you're in a hurry. One time I even used an Irish Soda Bread mix as a dough. Of course, if you have time to make dough from scratch there are many options that require varying lengths of time to rise, such as this one, this one and this one, just to throw out a few. Everyone has a favorite recipe, so I encourage experimentation to find the best for you. Personally, I like the taste of homemade dough better than premade, possibly due to the use of bread flour or maybe just because it's rewarding to make your own. Keep in mind that homemade dough can be kept in the fridge about 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to defrost overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours before rolling out and cooking.

The following dough recipe is one I used based on positive reviews, quick rise time and the inclusion of bread flour instead of all-purpose.

Quick Homemade Pizza Dough
Yield: 1 large crust

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (Be sure to get Active Dry and not Instant!)
1 cup warm water (About 110 degrees F or about 2 minutes in the microwave)
2 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more to knead in if too sticky
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons white sugar











Instructions

1. In a small bowl, stir to dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a food processor with a dough blade or a in a large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups bread flour, olive oil, salt, white sugar and the yeast mixture. Beat or stir well until a stiff dough has formed. Cover and rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F.
3. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface. Form dough into a round and roll out into a pizza crust shape. Add flour as needed to keep from sticking. 
4. Cover with your favorite sauce and toppings and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. 

And now, what you've all been waiting for, here are some of my favorite pizzas of the past. Remember, beyond toppings, you are welcome to experiment with cheeses and sauces. Mozzarella, shredded Italian cheese mixes (Asiago and Parmesan, for instance) and feta are always good for cheese. For sauce the options are boundless: regular store bought pizza sauce, plain canned tomato sauce, alfredo sauce, just olive oil and no sauce, pesto, or any homemade concoction. And for me, the addition of minced garlic, caramelized onions or mushrooms is never a bad idea, as well as seasoning with various spices such as basil or oregano.

1. Broccoli, garlic, feta, shredded mozzarella, and pesto
2. Olive oil (no sauce), mozzarella discs, basil and fresh or sun-dried tomatoes
3. Roasted sweet potatoes cut into discs with a bit of brown sugar, caramelized onions, garlic, no sauce, and shredded mozzarella
4. Mushrooms, sliced bell peppers, red onion, Mozzarella or Italian shredded cheeses, and pizza sauce
5. Spinach, mushrooms, pizza sauce, and garlic

Don't forget calzones!

6. Tomato sauce, thinly sliced ham, pineapple chunks, and Italian shredded cheeses

7. Nutella, marshmallow fluff, Bing cherries, and bananas

 

 

Emily and Charlie passed out from how good pizza is!

What are some good pizzas you've made?

The Sweet Treat That Never Stops Flying

This week I have a recipe for Hummingbird Cake to offer you from The Joy of Baking website. I'd never heard of this delightful cake until I had a slice at The Grit. To me, it's like a banana bread cake with the added notes of pineapple and roasted pecans. Because this is not the sweetest cake, a cream cheese frosting adds the perfect touch even for non-frosting lovers. 

Hummingbird Cake Recipe

1 cup pecans, roasted and finely chopped

3 cups flour (A Tip: Never scoop directly from the flour bag with a measuring cup because the amount will be packed tighter and yield more flour than if you spoon flour from the bag into a measuring cup)

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

3/4 cup canola oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

8 oz. can crushed pineapple, do not drain

4 medium-sized ripe bananas, mashed

                    Icing

                    2 cups of Confectioners Sugar

                    8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature 

                    1 stick of butter, softened 

                    1 tsp. vanilla. extract

                     1/2 cups pecans, roasted and finely chopped

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spread all the pecans on a baking sheet and brush evenly with butter. Roast in the oven for about 8 minutes, tossing about halfway through. When done, chop finely until, you have 1 1/2 cups. Leave the rest whole for cake decoration.

2. Grease two cake pans with either Pam or butter and line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper. 

3. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. 

4. Mix together the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, pineapple, mashed bananas and 1 cup of pecans.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a fork until combined. 

6. Divide the batter between the two cake pans and cook for 25-30 minutes.

7. To prepare the frosting, use a mixer to combine confectioners sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

8. When the cake is completely cool, frost and decorate with whole roasted pecans as you see fit.

I attempted to draw a hummingbird sipping nectar from a flower with my pecans...

Here I cooked the batter in a scone pan, producing these adorable individually-sized cakes.

Red Velvet Cake to Change Your World

I die for a moist cake.

If you are like me, the flavor of the cake could not matter less - it's ALL about moistness. In Athens, my favorite place for cake is The Grit. This amazing vegan restaurant serves up beautiful moist cakes that stun and surprise (try the Big Mama Blue!). P.S. I'd gladly accept The Grit Cookbook as a donation in kind for being such a great blogger :D



The following cake recipe is from legendary Brooklyn cake master Cake Man Raven, who is now the main reason I want to visit New York City. I have to also credit my new favorite blog Luvin Spoonful whose absolutely gorgeous pictures of this cake blew me away. This blog is also where I got my recipes for Tangy Cabbage and Lentils with Fennel and Raisins.

Southern Red Velvet Cake ala Cake Man Raven

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 cups of cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp of fine salt
• 1 tsp of cocoa powder
• 1 cup of buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp of white distilled vinegar
  
• 1-1/2 cups of vegetable oil
• 1 oz. of red food coloring
  
• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract.

• Frosting: 4 cups of Confectioners Sugar, 1 lb. of cream cheese (room temperature), 1 lb. of butter (softened) and 2 tsp. of vanilla. extract.

Instructions

1. Sift together all dry ingredients.
2. Add liquid in an electric mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
3. Slowly add dry ingredients to bowl, until all ingredients are combined.
4. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
5. Frosting: Mix together the cream cheese and the softened butter. Gradually add confectioners sugar until it reaches desired sweetness and smoothness.
6. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and frost the cake. Serves 10-12

I dub this cake the best I've ever made or eaten. I think the key is buttermilk and now I'll never go back.

With my best cooking buddies, this cake was the best Valentine's Day treat ever!

Neiman Marcus Knockoffs: A cookie even my Grandpa would love

Last week my dad sent me a mysterious email containing a Neiman Marcus cookie recipe his secretary said cost a woman $250! Now, with a quick Google search I discovered that this urban legend stems from a mischarge of $250 instead of $2.50 on a woman's credit card for purchase of the top secret cookie recipe. Although Neiman Marcus officially stated this was only a myth, they quickly published a public recipe for their cookies.

My dreams of a cookie so good it would be worth $250 sounds like a wonderful cookie to me, so I have to admit I was somewhat disappointed. Luckily, I would say my take on Neiman Marcus' delights could be worth more than that in tastebud satisfaction.

Before I give my recipe, I want to take the time for you to get to know me better. When I cook, I am generally pretty willy-nilly. I like to just go go go and I often will add things at the incorrect time or put in 4 times as much as I should. Another tendency that related to this recipe is due to the terribly located grocery stores in Athens, Ga. If inspiration strikes I will use whatever I have in my apartment and hope for the best. Somehow this usually works and helps me use up extras in my pantry. Here's what I came up with, and let me tell you, you can't just eat one!

Neiman-Marcus Cookies: An Adaptation
My version is halved, but now I regret that decision.

1 cup butter
1 cup mini chocolate chips (Do what you feel! Just add as much chocolate as you like)
2 cups flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 Toblerone Bar (grated)
2 1/2 cups blended oatmeal
2 eggs
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted almonds

Prep:
Using a blender, blend oatmeal to a fine powder. Grate the Toblerone bar using a traditional cheese grater. If you purchased raw almonds, toast the almonds at 350 degrees on a baking sheet for 12 minutes. Then, chop the almonds into small chunks.









1.Cream the butter and all three sugars in a mixing bowl
2.Add eggs and vanilla
3.Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda
4.Add chocolate chips, Toblerone shreds and chopped nuts
5.Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a baking sheet
6.Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.















If you are interested in the Neiman Marcus original it's here.