It was an All Bread kind of weekend

First, Gene and I had a late lunch on Saturday so when it came to be dinner time and I was in the mood to make homemade donuts but not in the mood to make dinner....We're adults, right?  We don't have to follow the meal rules so we had donuts for dinner.

Then Sunday, I put a roast in the crockpot and threw bread dough into the bread machine, fully intending to make mashed potatoes and the whole Sunday all-American dinner but by dinner time the bread was ready but the roast wasn't even close.  Hmmm...what to do, what to do.  Thankfully, Corbin and Jennifer called to see if we wanted to run out for sushi before the Soprano's finale came on so we ditched the roast and ate sushi.  Jenn's going to email me some pics. It was YUMMY!

The roast finally got tender about 10pm so I guess we'll be having roast, potatoes, and bread Monday night.

UPDATE: Recipes are posted now. Click below.

Yeasted Doughnuts

from Baking Illustrated from the editors of Cook's Illustrated,  page 127

Ingredients:

3-3 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 envelope or 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

6 Tbsps sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cups whole milk, at room temp

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) butter, softened but still cool

6 cups shortening or oil to fry in (I only used 3 cups in a flat bottomed skillet so that doughnuts were shallow fried, never completely covered and it worked just fine)

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups of the flour, the yeast, 5 tbsp sugar, and the salt. Set aside.

2.  Place the milk and eggs in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook.  Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until ball of dough forms.

3.  Add the softened butter one piece at a time, waiting about 15 seconds after each addition. Continue mixing for a bout 3 minutes longer, adding the remaining flour 1 Tbsp at a time if necessary, until dough forms a soft ball.

4.  Place the dough in a  lightly oiled medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise at room temp until nearly double in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  Place the dough onto a floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll it out to a thickness of  1/2 inch.  Cut the dough using a 21/2 or 3" doughnut cutter, gathering the scraps and rerolling them as necessary. (I don't have a doughnut cutter so I used a 3" flower cookie cutter for fun and a small pharmacy pill bottle for the hole. You just have to push the "hole" slightly into the bottle to be able to make it come out.)

Place the doughnut rings and holes onto a floured baking sheet. (I left them on the counter.) Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temp until slightly pufy, 30-45 minutes.

5.  Meanwhile, fit a candy thermomenter to the side of a large Dutch oven. Add the shortening or oil to the pot and gradually heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees.  Place the rings and holes carefully into the hot fat 4 or 5 at a time. Fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds per side for the holes and 45-60 seconds per side for the rings.  Remove the doughnuts from the oil and drain on paper towel-lined baking sheets.  Repeat with the remaining doughnuts, return the fat to temperature between batches.  Cool the doughnuts for about 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Roll the warm doughnuts in sugar or in glaze. Recipe to follow.

Glenna's doughnut glaze:

1 cup granulated sugar

Half and half as necessary

In a medium flat bowl, stir in enough half and half or cream to make a thin glaze.  Microwave on high 45 seconds and then stir.  Repeat for 20 seconds at a time until sugar is melted into cream.

Dip each side of the doughnuts and roll holes in glaze.  Place on wire racks over baking sheets to dry.

Comments

[foodierachel]

Oh man! I don't have a good donut recipe..... Do tell!

[Alisha]

Hey, I want donuts for dinner! Think I can convince my daughter she doesn't need a cake for her birthday today but donuts? LOL I can't wait to see your recipe for them.

[sher]

Beautiful pictures! I can practically smell the wonderful yeasty odor as I look at them. Yum!!!!!!

[Butta Buns]

That's definitely in the top 3 things I love most about being an adult, dessert first. The donuts look wonderful!

[Jenny]

I highly commend donuts for dinner.

I'm way too afraid of using a fryer----

:)

[Glenna]

Rachel--give these a try. I've made doughnuts before. My mom used to make them all the time when I was a kid but I like this recipe. it's simple but it comes together to be a very nice, just sweet enough, and very light dough.

Alisha--Sure! Just pipe her name and "Happy birthday" on a couple!

Sher--thanks! Love that new camera!

BB--Yep, have to agree with that!

Jenny--the skillet method isn't bad. The one thing you need to do is use a candy thermometer so you know how hot that oil is at all times.

[Susan P]

MMMMM I'm hungry.

[Tanna]

I'm so happy to know that's a good recipe!
Gorgeous bread and doughnuts.

[Joyce]

such beautiful pictures..yes supper as an adult..can be anything..mine...a typical standby is popcorn..lol..it works..or maybe rice and corn..the simpler the better..lol..had a late lunch and not at all hungry..lol..enjoying some days off..I am not a baker..lol..I can make drop biscuits..no bannock..and would rather cook a dinner then breakfast anyday..lol..that drink looked scrumptious..always awesome when we are cared for..have a superb week!!

[Glenna]

Susan--Let's see...more left on the counter! Come on over. Okay, well the donuts are gone. My sister and her daughters came over the other night and that was the end of the donuts.

Tanna--Thanks so much! Let me know if you do the donuts what you thought.

Joyce--Thank you very much!

[Deborah Dowd]

I can't even remember the last time I had homemade doughnuts- your's are a light and delicious-looking inspiration (to go off my diet!)

[Glenna]

Deborah--Thanks so much! I know. I try to watch the bread too but sometimes you just need to eat what sounds good.

[brilynn]

Wow! Love the doughnuts, they're gorgeous!

[Glenna]

Thanks, Brilynn!

[peabody]

Mmmm...doughnuts, always a good choice!

[Glenna]

Absolutely! Thanks,Peabody.

[Leslie]

Hey! I just came across your blog...that bread and those donuts looked delicious! I used to make bread all the time with my trusty old bread machine, but I haven't done it in about 5 years. I tried just over the long weekend to whip up some sundried tomato bread, and the whole machine just sort of fell apart. So I'm in the market for a new one...here's a website I'm looking through for possible replacements. What do you think about the first one, that Sunbeam model?

http://wize.com/bread-machines/for/easy-to-use/3413

Thanks!