Homemade Glazed Doughnuts

Make these sweet, pillowy circles—plus your pick of the glaze—in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Makes about 30 doughnuts

Ingredients:

For the doughnuts

2 tablespoons instant yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 cups cake flour

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

4 egg yolks

1/3 cup butter

1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk

2 tablespoons flour for kneading

For the chocolate glaze

200 grams finely chopped bittersweet chocolate 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the caramel glaze

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedure:

1  Dissolve yeast in warm water.

2  In a bowl, combine both flours, salt, and sugar; mix well. 

3  In a mixing bowl, put in egg yolks, butter, milk, and yeast mixture. Attach the dough hook in the electric mixer and mix ingredients at low speed, adding 2 cups of the flour mixture a little at a time. Stop machine every now and then to scrape the sides of the bowl. 

4  Stir in remaining flour until smooth and increase speed to medium for about 2 minutes until dough begins to pull away from the bowl.

5  Sprinkle flour for kneading on a clean table; knead dough until all the flour is incorporated. Form into a ball and transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 50 to 60 minutes.  (Learn How to Knead by Hand)

6  Punch down the dough, transfer to the floured surface, and roll around lightly to coat with flour. Gently roll dough until half-inch-thick using a floured rolling pin.  (Learn How to Proof Dough)

7  Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Cover and let rise until they double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes. 

8  Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer at 350ºF. Fry doughnuts on both sides until golden. 

9  Make the chocolate glaze: In a double boiler, place chocolate and oil and melt completely. Dip cooled doughnuts in the glaze and set on rack.

10  Make the caramel glaze:  In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and dissolve sugar completely. Cook syrup until golden caramel in color. Stir in heavy cream and butter, and mix until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Dip cooled doughnuts in the glaze and set on rack.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Here's an easy way to turn ordinary leftover bread into something quite wonderful.

Ingredients:

melted butter for brushing

8 pieces day-old Monroe bread, croissant, or sweet bread

2 cups all-purpose cream

1 1/2 cups milk 

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

8 egg yolks

                 (Learn How to Separate an Egg here)

3/4 cups chopped semisweet chocolate 

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts

chocolate chips for garnish

confectioners' sugar for dusting

Procedure:

1  Lightly brush an oval baking dish with melted butter. 

2  Slice bread into cubes and layer in the baking dish. Set aside. 

3  In a large saucepan, combine cream, milk, sugar, and cocoa powder. Heat until scalding; turn off the stove. 

4  Place egg yolks in a bowl. Pour in half of the cream mixture; whisk. Pour yolk-cream mixture back into the cream mixture in the saucepan.

5  Add chopped chocolate to the hot cream mixture and whisk until completely melted.

6  Pour mixture over the bread and let soak for 40 minutes to 1 hour.

7  Bake at 325ºF for 45 minutes or until set. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.

8  Sprinkle with nuts, chocolate chips, and confectioners' sugar.

Egg, Turkey, and Asparagus Sandwich Stacks

These double deckers are perfect for a laid-back brunch on a lazy weekend morning.

Makes 1

Ingredients:

1 small bunch asparagus stalks, trimmed and cleaned

olive oil 

salt and pepper 

juice from half a lemon 

2 slices whole-wheat or multigrain bread 

2 slices smoked turkey breast or turkey ham 

1 egg

Procedure:

1  Place asparagus stalks in an even layer on a toaster oven tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, add lemon juice; toss well. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes; set aside. 

2  In the same tray, toast bread until crisp; set aside. Place 1 slice of bread on a plate, cover with a slice of turkey breast, and top with asparagus. Repeat procedure to make a double stack. 

3  In a nonstick frying pan over medium heat, fry an egg until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny. With a spatula, carefully lift the fried egg from the pan and set it on top of the sandwich stack. Top with remaining slice of bread.

Triple Decker Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

Prefer herbed foccacia or ciabatta? Go ahead and replace the whole-wheat. Great on the side no matter what kind of bread: potato chips or onion rings.

Serves 1 

Prep Time 10 minutes 

Cooking Time 15 minutes

Ingredients:

3 slices whole-wheat bread

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

half a zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise

half an eggplant, thinly sliced lengthwise

half a red bell pepper, sliced

half a green bell pepper, sliced

2 red onions, sliced

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme and rosemary, finely minced

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes in oil

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons pesto

Procedure:

1 Spread butter on one side of each bread and toast.

2 Place all vegetables in a big mixing bowl. Pour in oil and minced herbs. Season to taste and toss well together using both hands.

3 Grill vegetables until done and grill marks form. Set aside.

4 In a blender, purée sun dried tomatoes and add lemon juice.

5 Arrange toasted and buttered bread slices in a row. Spread sun dried tomato on the unbuttered side of the first slice. Top with grilled vegetables. Spread pesto on the buttered side of the second slice, and cover the vegetables with this. On this slice, spread sun dried tomato pesto. Top with more grilled vegetables. Spread pesto on the unbuttered side of the third slice and cover the vegetables with this.

6 Place sandwich on a panini griller to warm, or use a toothpick to hold sandwich together.