Monday, October 19, 2009

Women's Weekend and Pumpkin Spiced Donuts




I'm back from another semiannual Women's Wine Weekend (notice there is no H in Wine)...

As usual, a good time was had by all.

Over the years our weekend get-togethers have changed. Just like us.

This is how it should be.

We all change.

Our lives change and the circumstances surrounding our lives change.

The one thing that hasn't changed is the women.

We are a group of women from different backgrounds sharing a lifetime bond of friendship and shared memories.

We laughed, we drank wine, we toasted each other's successes and sympathized with our perceived failures. We made new memories and rehashed some old ones. We once again affirmed our connection to each other.

And of course we made plans for our next Women's Wine Weekend (notice there is no H in wine).

To all the women in my life:
I love you.
I admire you for your place in this world.
You are my strength, my idols, my sisters, my confidantes.

Is there any one woman (or more) in your life whom you just can't imagine life without?

I am making these donuts because they remind me of the women of WWW - they are sweet, a little bit spicy, and I dare only visit them about twice a year...

Pumpkin Spiced Donuts with Maple Cream Frosting: (makes about a dozen plus holes)

1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk (if you don't have it readily available, make your own with 1/2 cup milk and 2 teaspoons vinegar - white or apple cider vinegar - let stand 5 minutes
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon each: nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves (or use 2 teas. pumpkin pie spice)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups flour* plus more for cutting donuts and dusting pan
vegetable oil for frying

Whisk egg and egg yolk together, then add pumpkin, sugars, buttermilk, and butter, whisking after each addition.

Stir in spices and baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Whisk in flour 1 cup at a time to form a sticky dough.



Cover and freeze for 15 minutes.

Pour about 2 inches vegetable oil in frying pan and heat to about 350 degrees.

Turn half of the donut dough out on floured board and pat out with your floured hands to about 1/2 inch thick. With floured round cookie cutter (about 3 inches) cut donuts out. Go back, and using a 1 inch round cutter, cut out holes.




Transfer with floured spatula to floured cookie sheet.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Fry for about 3-4 minuts, turning once. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with all the "holes"



Toppings:

While donuts are still hot:
Sugar and Cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Place sugar and cinnamon in a bag and shake 6 donuts and all the donut holes in bag. Do a few at a time.

Maple Cream Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
drizzle of milk
Whisk together until thick, but able to "dip" donuts in. When donuts are cool, dip the rest of the donuts into the frosting. Place donuts on a rack on top of a cookie sheet and allow to set.

Arrange all the donuts and holes on a platter and start dreaming of your next women's getaway...

A Cook's Notes: Have any of you discovered this great flour from Bob's Red Mill? Whole Wheat Pastry Flour - it acts just like white flour but packs a nutritional and fiber punch you can live with. The best part? The fussy eaters in your life won't have a clue it's whole wheat....



Don't forget to comment on the Autumn Giveaway Post for a chance to win the Yogotherm and enough cheesemaking supplies to make 70 pounds of soft cheeses - tell your blogging friends!!


19 comments:

  1. Wow they look good... can I send you my address. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. HOLY COW! I think I just licked the computer screen. Those donuts look soooo good.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Vodka Logic - stop on by. The coffee pots on and there are still a couple of donuts left.

    Kathy B: easy to make. not easy to justify! But I only make them once or twice a year and pumpkins are in season and they are sooooo good... wait, I think I just justified eating another donut.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Omg, I would love a couple of these pumpkin donuts, right now!! With the maple cream frosting, please. Divine, cher!
    I have always used whole wheat pastry flour for certain recipes. Red Mill flours are wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  5. wow, those look way better then the cheater donuts i make my kids after they have finally bugged me too long to hold out. I might just have to try this, although they look dangerous to me!

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Marguerite - I've pretty much completely switched over to whole wheat - except of course for my beloved Tito Bread Flours....

    Tamis - the donuts don't take any time at all - about 30 minutes start to finish. Just make sure you really flour the board, your hands and the cutters!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yum, yum, yum!!!!! I am absolutely drooling!!!! What a wonderful and inspiring post!!!! And I'm thrilled!!! You use Bob's Red Mill flours, too??!!! Simply superb!!! All the best to you, my new, talented friend!! ~Janine XO

    ReplyDelete
  8. Get out of here with this! They look so good.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sweet Recipe! I love making donuts at home, and this will be perfect! We love to make donuts for dessert when we have friends over. They always get a kick out of it, and it is so fun to eat warm donuts!
    I am glad you had a good weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  10. How lucky you are to have such friends in your life. Yes, I have women I cannot imagine living without. I feel very blessed.

    Those donuts are calling my name! I won't make them, because I will eat them. But just watching you make them has been enough. Yum.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Guess what??? Be proud . . . I'm in the process of making potato bread right now! I'll be posting pics in my blog tomorrow . . . The best part? I'm wearing my exclusive good cook apron! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. OMG, I'm making those tomorrow!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sniffles - You just can't beat those Bob's Red Mill Flours can you?

    Unknown - you get out'ta here!

    Sara - oh thank you for posting my button! you are the best!

    Nancy - do like I do, make them, eat one and then give a bunch away to the neighbors!!

    Meeko - I can't wait to see that post! Potato Bread? Excellent! And the apron? Most excellent!!

    Gabrielle - perfect! Just make sure you use lots of flour on the board, the cutter, your hands and the spatula. These babies are sticky!

    ReplyDelete
  14. The donuts look delish! I've got to try your recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I feel myself gaining ten lbs looking at those. OMG Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I must say, I am incredibly jealous of your WWW's. I left behind my only girl friend in Texas... All of the marine wives I have encountered are too... Uppity? Yes.

    Josh and I will have WWW's. :) Over a movie and some candles.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I keep coming back and drooling over these donuts. I am becoming obsessed with them. Area they as unbelievably good as they look?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lisa - they are DELICIOUS!!! Make the donuts!!

    ReplyDelete

Wow. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I love feedback... what with being a cook and all. I will respond to your comments via email (if you do not have a "noreply" address or here, below your comment) As always, Bon Appetite!

Related Posts with Thumbnails