Dishin' It Out: Donut Recipe

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/

Jami Bevans, http://ciaragold.blogspot.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/

Celia Yearly, http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com

Long and Short Reviews: http://www.longandshortreviews.com chatting on their forum

August 18 -- Su Halfwerk, http://www.suhalfwerk.blogspot.com