 I was looking for a PSL doughnut recipe when I came across this recipe from NYT Cooking that sold me in the first sentence: “These fuss-free (no electric mixer needed!) pumpkin doughnuts….” They had me at "hello, fall" to give these a try in the Delaney Test Kitchen. The pumpkin pureé gives them their color and keeps them moist, and they are still filled with the nutmeg and cinnamon that we associate with fall. These are easily finished with icing or cinnamon sugar, which gives you choices depending on your audience (aka picky eaters). I made these for the first time 4 years ago, and now they are a staple item for Fall in our house. Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts INGREDIENTS: FOR THE DOUGHNUTS: Nonstick cooking spray 1 ⅔ cups/215 grams all-purpose flour 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp baking soda 1 Cup / 200 grams granulated sugar ½ Cup / 120 milliliters vegetable oil 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 Cup / 240 milliliters canned pumpkin purée ¼ Cup / 60 milliliters whole milk FOR THE GLAZE: 1 Cup / 100 grams confectioners’ sugar, plus more if needed 2 Tbsp whole milk, plus more if needed 1 tsp vanilla extract PREPARATION: Step 1: Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 degrees. Coat 2 (6-cavity) doughnut pans with nonstick cooking spray. Step 2: Make the doughnuts: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and baking soda. Step 3: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk until the mixture is thick and yellow, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the pumpkin purée until smooth and combined. Step 4: Sift half the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined. Add the milk and stir to combine. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Step 5: Use a ¼ Cup measuring cup to pour batter into each doughnut cavity. Bake until the doughnuts are browned, separating from the edges of the pan, and springy when touched, 15 to 20 minutes. Step 6: Remove the pans from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the doughnuts from the pans and allow to cool completely for about 30 minutes. Step 7: As the doughnuts cool, make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla extract and whisk to combine until desired consistency. The glaze should drip slowly, not run, down the sides of the doughnut; add more milk if needed to thin it or more confectioners' sugar if needed to thicken it. Working one at a time, dip the top half of each cooled doughnut into the vanilla glaze. (Alternatively, brush the cooled doughnuts with melted butter, and dip into cinnamon sugar.) Serve immediately, or let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in a single layer for up to 3 days.   Forgive me the callback to one of my favorite books, "Save me the Plums" by Ruth Reichel, but yes - save me the plums! Plums will always remind me of the bittersweet end of summer. My dad loves them baked into a pie, and this recipe reminded me of helping to make many of them as the summer slipped into fall. The New York Times Cooking published this recipe from Marian Burros every September from 1983 until 1989, when the editors determined that enough was enough and printed it for the last time. The uproar was immediate. They next year they printed it so that people could cut it out and put it in their recipe box, but still they readers demanded the appearance of the recipe. With a recipe with that kind of fan base, I had to give it a go in the Delaney Test Kitchen. And I am so glad I did. Tasting it made me feel like I was 16 again, sampling my latest baked creation in my mom's kitchen and waiting for Dad to come home and enjoy it. And to sit on the screened porch one more time before Fall. Original Plum Torte INGREDIENTS: ¾ Cup sugar ½ Cup unsalted butter, softened 1 Cup unbleached flour, sifted 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt (optional) 2 eggs 24 halves pitted purple plums (note: I used a 8” pan, and 6 plums, halved, fit perfectly) Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping PREPARATION: Step 1: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Step 2: Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well. Step 3: Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon. Step 4 Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.) TIP To freeze, double-wrap the torte in foil, place in a plastic bag and seal.  I am always on a quest to remove plastics from my kitchen, and remove preservatives from my food. And, I am also always looking for ideas for my sourdough discard. When I saw this recipe from Country Roads Sourdough, I knew it was worth a try in the Delaney Test Kitchen. This recipe looked perfect because my son loves his goldfish and cheez-its, and I don't like him eating all that weird stuff. And it was a hit! In fact, my husband and I have been eating these now too. Good thing that the recipe makes 125 crackers - it gives me a chance to make some more. Enjoy! Sourdough Cheez-it Crackers INGREDIENTS: 226 grams cheddar cheese, chopped (8oz block or 2 cups) 85 grams flat sourdough discard heaping (⅓ cup) 28 grams unsalted butter, chopped (2 Tbsp) 5 grams ranch seasoning (½ Tbsp) 5 grams salt (1 teaspoon) 65 grams all purpose flour (½ Cup) Flaky sea salt - optional for the top of crackers PREPARATION: 1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor, except for the flaky sea salt. If you prefer a less salty cracker, cut the salt amount in half. (This includes the 226 grams cheddar cheese, chopped (8oz block), 85 grams flat sourdough discard, 28 grams unsalted butter, chopped, 5 grams ranch seasoning, 5 grams salt, and 65 grams all-purpose flour) 2. Place dough onto plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. 3. Preheat the oven to 350F. 4. Remove the dough from the fridge and split it in half. Roll out half the dough as thin as possible, ⅛”. I prefer to roll out on a silicone baking mat but you can also use parchment paper. The thinner the better for a crispier cracker. 5. Cut the crackers in 1" squares with a bench scraper or a pasta cutter. 6. Poke a hole in the middle of each cracker with a toothpick. 7. Sprinkle the crackers with flaky sea salt. 8. Do not separate the crackers. Place the parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes. 9. Repeat with the other half of the dough. If you bake the 2 trays together rotate the trays halfway through. Notes: If the dough is sticky after mixing it in the food processor add a little extra flour. You should be able to touch the dough without it sticking to you. Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes before rolling it out. Slightly cooled off dough is easier to roll out. However, if you keep the crackers in the fridge for several hours, the dough will be harder to roll. In that case, I recommend letting the dough warm up on the counter for 10-15 minutes before rolling it. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Once completely cooled store in an airtight container. A glass mason jar is my preferred container. This recipe will make about 125 crackers  This recipe is my Mom's specialty, and my Dad’s favorite dessert. Ever. So I’ve made this recipe a lot over the years. The true beauty of this recipe is that it is so easy. And you could easily swop out the blueberries for apples, if you want to make an Apple Cake for fall. And while Blueberry Cake feels nice and summery, you really can make it all year round. It's like a giant blueberry muffin, but better. Blueberry Cake Note: For this recipe, use a 9” pie plate, or a shallow 10” pie plate INGREDIENTS: Cake:
Crumb Topping:
PREPARATION: 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. 2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and sugar. 3. Add the 4Tbsp of melted butter, and use a hand mixer to beat it all together. 4. Add in the milk and the egg, and continue beating until the dough comes together (note: it will not be very smooth). 5. Grease and lightly flour the pie plate. 6. Spread the dough evenly with your hands. 7. Place the blueberries on top, and spread them out almost to the edges. 8. Assemble the crumb topping, and spread over the blueberries. 9. Bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes. |
AuthorKris Delaney is a marketing executive, foodie, travel enthusiast, and book nerd based in Atlanta, GA. Archives
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