Friday, August 12, 2011

Donuts, Anyone? How About Love Delivery?


Title: Love Delivery
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Author: Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Hi everyone, my name is Ann. I’m the main character in Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz’s contemporary romance, Love Delivery.

While I wouldn’t say life has been good to me, I am divorced after all, I can’t complain.  I live alone with my cat, Mittens, and I work a short bus ride away from my apartment at a great little independent donut shop.  I’m the day manager, so I start really early.  I have to make sure all the fresh-made donuts are in the trays and fresh coffee is ready for the first customers of the day.

I don’t exactly consider myself gorgeous, what with my pear-shaped body and all, but I get by.  There is a real hunk of a delivery guy, Tom, who comes to the shop on a regular basis. He and I talk and joke a lot.  Sometimes I think he feels like I’m the little sister he never had.  Still…

Guess you’ll have to read Love Delivery to see where my life takes me.

Today, though, I want to share one of the baker’s recipes for making donuts.  First, the ingredients:

2 packages of active dry yeast (or if you use the jar, check the label for the equivalent amount)
¼ cup warm water (around 105 to 115 degrees)
1 ½ cup lukewarm milk…  I like who milk best.
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter (or shortening, but I love butter)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 quart of safflower or peanut oil for frying (Olive oil can’t handle the really high heat you need to fry the donuts)

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, stir gently, and let sit about 5 minutes.

Put the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, butter, and two cups of flour into a large mixing bowl.  I like to use my heavy-duty mixer.  Mix at a low speed for about two minutes.  Continue mixing at the low speed and slowly add ½ cup of flour at a time until the batter pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  If you’re using a mixer with a dough hook, switch to the dough hook.  If not, remove the batter from the bowl.  Knead for five minutes, either with dough hook or by hand on a floured surface.  Put the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover with a linen towel, and place in a warm place to rise for about an hour, or until double in bulk.

Remove from bowl.  Put on floured surface.  Roll to ½ inch thick.  Using either a glass dusted on the edge with flour or a donut cutter, cut circles from the dough.  If you use the glass, you will need to cut out the center, or depress with your thumb or a spoon.

Now you’re ready to fry.

Use a large pot.  Put in the quart of oil.  The oil needs to be deep enough that your batter will be covered.  Place the pan over high heat and bring to 325 degrees F.  Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature.  Lower the heat and maintain 325 degrees.  If the temperature drops, raise the heat a bit.

When the oil is ready, use a long-handled slotted spoon to immerse the donuts, one at a time, into the oil.  Be sure you don’t crowd the pot.  When they turn golden brown, they’re ready.  Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towels to cool.

While they are still slightly warm, roll in confectionary sugar, dip in melted chocolate, or drizzle with icing.  You can also add sprinkles.

I know donuts aren’t very healthy, so I don’t eat them very often.  Working in the donut shop, I quickly learned I don’t want to eat too many.  Amazing how those extra pounds seem to gather around my hips when I indulge my sweet tooth.

Be sure to leave your name and email address to be entered into a drawing for a free short romantic story.

For those who would like to follow Penny's tour, here's the schedule:


LOVE DELIVERY BLOG TOUR – Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz, MuseItUp Publishing
July 29 -- Lin Holmes, http://linsownblog.blogspot.com/ 
August 12 – Ginger Simpson, http://mizging.blogspot.com/ 
August 13 -- Elaine Cantrell, http://elainepcantrell.blogspot.com/
August 14 -- Janie Franz, http://janiefranz.wordpress.com/ 
August 15 -- Joanne Tropello, http://joannetroppello.weebly.com/blog.html
August 16 -- Long and Short Reviews, http://www.longandshortreviews.com
August 17 -- Nicola Sheridan, http://www.magicalgains.blogspot.com/  
Long and Short Reviews: http://www.longandshortreviews.com chatting on their forum
August 18 -- Su Halfwerk, http://www.suhalfwerk.blogspot.com   
August 19 -- Lin Holmes, http://linsownblog.blogspot.com/  
August 20 -- Janice Seagraves, http://ladyjanice.blogspot.com/  
August 21 -- Joylene Butler, http://cluculzwriter.blogspot.com/
August 22 -- Roseanne Dowell, http://roseannedowellauthor.blogspot.com/  
August 23 -- Tina Donahue, http://www.tinadonahue.com/blog/
August 25 -- Marva Dasef, http://mgddasef.blogspot.com/
August 29 -- P.L. Parker, http://www.plparker.blogspot.com 

11 comments:

  1. Okay, I can't take much more of this. My to buy list is growing and growing and I'm going to have to win the lottery, inherit a ton of money, or (horrors) get a job. Your book sounds great.

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  2. MMMMM. I love donuts! But I might as well put them in my back pocket cause that's where they end up. Sigh. Good thing my hubby is a butt man. ;-) Thanks for sharing. Good luck with the book.
    C.K. Volnek

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  3. Hi Penny, wow you're a busy woman over the next few weeks. Love the donut recipe. Yummy. Wishing you much success with Love's Delivery

    Hugs
    Nancy

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  4. Hi, Penny. Oh, how I love donuts! Unfortunately, I've loved them too much for far too long. Oh well...
    Your book sounds like one I'll want to read. Best wishes,
    Pat Dale

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  5. What a fun post! Thank you for sharing and for sharing the recipe LOL. Your book sounds lovely.

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  6. Hi Ginger, sorry I'm late checking it. My grandson is here visiting and he's my priority.

    Thank you so much for hosting me and being the first stop on my tour. Today's the day Love Delivery is released, so I'm especially grateful.

    Roseanne, be sure to get some donuts to go with your purchase of Love Delivery. Charlie, I know what you mean...those donuts do seem to find their way to our bottom parts. Emily, thank you. Let me know if you try the recipe. Pat, I actually did work in a donut shop when I was a teenager, so I quickly learned to limit my donut intake!

    I'll check back later to see who Ginger picks for today's gift and you will be entered into the drawing for a copy of Love Delivery

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  7. I forgot I was supposed to pick a name. I assigned a number to each person then drew a number, and the lucky winner is Roseanne.

    Ginger

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  8. Hi Penny,
    I'm glad Ginger pointed me in your direction because I want to personally congratulate you on your release of "Love Delivery". I'm so happy to be sharing my release date with you. It's a wonderful experience, isn't it? Your book sounds scrumptious. :)

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  9. Hi Penny, Ginger, great blog post. Penny, donuts.. oh my waistline is suffering. My to buy list is growing and I must limit myself to cyber cakes. This recipe is a keeper. One for special occasions. Or the scales will keep saying 'ONE AT A TIME'.
    Congratulations on your release. :)

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  10. Wendy, Gail, and Rosalie, thank you all for your kind words. Just looking at the cover makes me hungry and I hardly ever eat donuts anymore!

    Congratulations, Roseanne on winning the short story. Everyone else, don't despair, your names will go into the grand drawing at the end of the tour!

    ReplyDelete

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