Making Artisan Donuts with Chef Pagano

I *love* donuts.  The cake variety I'm not so crazy about.  But yeast donuts can chase away anything that ails me.

My donut epiphany came to me a few years after moving to NY.  I was walking along an otherwise nondescript street when I abruptly stopped in my tracks: just behind a glass storefront, pillowy donuts were slowly making their way down a conveyor belt.  I bounded into the shop.  Seconds later I was sinking my teeth into a yeast donut: it was light and airy; had a crust sweetened by a glaze dip; and on the inside, soft and chewy.

Mind you, it was only a Krispy Kreme donut, yet I hadn't had anything like it to date.  To me, the donut tasted like a little bit of heaven.  

That store soon closed down, so I took to making occasional stops at the coffee-and-donut cart just down the street from work for my donut fix (I'm almost embarrassed to admit this).  Then one day a friend took me to Donut Plant.  I was introduced to the world of "gourmet" donuts, and that's when everything changed.  If I wasn't hooked on donuts before, I certainly was now.

So I jumped at the chance to take an artisan donut class at the Institute of Culinary Education, taught by Chef Chad Pagano.  

Chef Pagano has all the hallmarks of a great instructor: he is knowledgeable, passionate, approachable, and patient.  Most of all, he is funny.  During the demonstrations he regaled us with stories of how he concocted the various recipes for the class.  With an air of excitement in the air, we set to work in teams of four.  We made both yeast and cake donuts, fillings galore (banana pastry cream, caramel, peanut butter spread), and some sprinkles and toppings, too (streusel crumb, candied bacon, chocolate glaze).  Assistants were on hand to help us out, yet Chef Pagano still went from station to station sharing tips, making gentle corrections, and doling out praise, all the while with his easy humor.  
  

Chef Pagano at work

cutting out donut rounds

scooping apple filling onto a donut circle

me, as happy as can be

Chef Pagano and our wonderful assistants for the evening

Each donut that we made was uniquely different, each a play on textures and flavors.  A yeast donut filled with a banana pastry cream and dipped in dark chocolate glaze (chewy, creamy, rich).  A cake donut with a maple bacon glaze (sweet and salty, and crunchy on top).  And my absolute favorite, the apple crumb pie yeast donut: a yeast donut stuffed with a baked apple filling, then glazed, and finally topped with a streusel crumb (dense, chewy, tart-sweet).  Divine!

Details on the donut course can be found here.

Apple Crumb Pie Donuts
Recipe by Chef-Instructor Chad Pagano, Institute of Culinary Education, NYC

7 ounces water
1 ounce whole milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 ounce active dry yeast
1 large egg, room temperature
3 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 ounces all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for frying


Apple filling:

1 large tart apple
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Streusel crumb topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the donuts
Combine water and milk in a small pot and heat to 100° F.

Combine the warm water and milk, sugar, and yeast in a medium bowl, whisking to dissolve yeast. Set aside until the yeast is active and bubbling, about five minutes.

Pour the yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the remaining ingredients and knead with dough hook on low speed until dough comes together into a ball.

Turn dough into a slightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.

For the filling
While the dough is proofing, make the filling.  Peel, core, and chop the apple in 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside in a bowl. 

Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add apples and sauté for about eight minutes, until the apples are semi-soft.

Add sugar, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon to the apples and stir to combine. Cook until mixture begins to bubble, then turn heat to low and cook for another three minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer filling to a boil and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

For the streusel

In a food processor combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and mix to combine.

Add butter and mix until crumbly and the butter pieces are very small.

Spread streusel mixture out on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating sheet once halfway through and turning over the mixture with a fork, until the streusel is golden and dry. Remove from oven and let cool.

Punch donut dough down and roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thick. Use a 3-inch donut cutter to cut as many donuts as possible on the first cutting. Place the donuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let proof for 10 to 15 minutes. You can re-roll the remaining dough once cut out the remaining donuts and add them to the baking sheet.

Flatten out half of the donut circles slightly, so they are now bigger than 3 inches wide. Place a heaping tablespoon of the apple filling in the center of each circle. Place the remaining circles of dough over the filling, pressing down the edges slightly to seal. Use the same cutter to cut the donuts down to 3 inches again, sealing the edges together in the process.

Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot the to 350° F. Fry a few donuts at a time until cooked through and golden brown (about 1-1/2 minutes per side), flipping them over halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel-covered wire rack to drain and cool slightly.

For the glaze

In a wide bowl mix together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Add more milk as necessary to make a liquid glaze.

Dip donuts first in glaze, and then in the streusel crumb topping to coat. Set on wire rack to dry.

An afternoon of baking: Flourless chocolate cake

"You have to try the apple cannele at Le Pain Quotidien!" my friend and colleague exclaimed one Monday morning when I got to work. "Better yet, put together a recipe and we'll bake it together!" 

My foodie friends often do this: they'll come across a treat they think is just exquisite, call me up, describe it in great length, and finish by saying, "You should make it!" It's sweet that they have such an appreciation for my baking skills; yet I sometimes suspect they think my talents know no bounds.

But back to the apple cannele.  My friend and I had been talking for some time about devoting a Friday afternoon to baking at my apartment. She described the apple cannele for me: sweet yet not cloyingly so, moist like a custard yet light, not dense. I was sold. 

I set to work in search of a recipe that could inspire me. I came across review after review of enthusiastic fans of LPQ's apple cannele. Then, a blog post with a recipe for one.  The author described the cannele as temperamental, fickle even.  That didn't deter me.  What did, though, was the suggestion for the batter, once made, to be refrigerated for 48 hours prior to baking.  Which meant that my friend would only be there for the baking.  Not really what we had in mind.

So instead, we settled for a flourless chocolate cake, another one of my friend's recent favorite desserts.  We found a Gourmet magazine recipe that looked promising.  After we baked it, we served it with a dusting of cocoa powder and some whipped cream.  When we tasted it, we realized we hadn't settled at all. The cake was dense and moist and, surprisingly, really quick and easy to make (the recipe was fail-proof, in my opinion).  Easily the best flourless chocolate cake I've ever tasted.   And best of all: it's a chocolate treat that even those on a gluten-free diet can indulge in.  It's a deep-dark slice of decadence you'll want to sink your teeth into.

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Recipe from Gourmet magazine

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. 

Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. 

Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

Dust cake with additional cocoa powder and serve with sorbet if desired. (Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container, 1 week.)

Day 1 of gluten-free baking: Alfajores

I am now on a gluten-free diet. 

Never would I have made such a drastic (for me) lifestyle change on my own. It all happened over the course of an hour with a nutritionist: after reviewing my recent health and nutrition needs, she suggested a gluten-free diet.  I bristled at the idea: me, a bread lover, avid baker, on a gluten-free diet?  "It'll be a trial for three weeks," she said.  "Think of it as a challenge; have you ever done any gluten-free baking before?"  Try as I might, I couldn't find anything about her proposition appealing.  I continued to resist.  She then urged me to consider it.  I finally acquiesced. 

It only took overnight for me to embrace (yes, embrace!) the idea.

It might have partly been due to timing: this happened just one day after my cupcake fest with fellow food bloggers, one week after my pie-baking class, and six weeks after my Paris trip where I indulged - very heavily, I might add, and gleefully, too - in all things gluten.

So here I was, having committed to no gluten for nearly a month, on the eve of an Argentine potluck I was invited to.  Never one to shy away from a challenge, I decided I would bake.  First stop, Dean and Deluca; they carry gluten-free flour that can be substituted one-for-one for all-purpose flour.  Then onto finding a recipe; I stumbled upon one for Alfajores, which is essentially an Argentinean dolce de leche sandwich cookie.  It sounded divine!

The results: the cookies were light, refreshing with the hint of lemon, and perfectly sweet.  I really don't know if using gluten-free flour made any difference in the texture or taste, never having made these cookies before. But that didn't matter; they were gobbled up by everyone.

Alfajores

Recipe from food.com

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
Two egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon rind, grated
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (the Davis brand is gluten-free)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dulce de leche (I used store-bought)

Cream butter for a minute, add sugar and beat until fluffy.

Add egg and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well. Beat in vanilla and lemon rind.

In a separate bowl, sift together cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to mixture and mix well.

Drop batter by small spoonfuls onto well buttered baking sheet.

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove immediately.

Sandwich the cookies together with dulce de leche

Making cupcakes, the Butter Lane way

I started my blog to share with others my passion for creating in the kitchen.  I also started it out of hopes of finding a community of like-minded cooks and bakers.  And I think I found *just* that in Food Bloggers in NYC, a group run by Mallory of Total Noms.

Coursehorse and top cupcake shop Butter Lane teamed up to invite Food Bloggers to a bloggers-only cupcake decorating class.  Just having written a post all about cupcakes, where I extolled the joys to be had in such a teensy baked creation, I thought the timing couldn't be better.  On a recent Tuesday evening, I joined nine other bloggers at Butter Lane to learn all there is to know about making the perfect cupcake. Guiding us through the 2-hour class was our bright, cheerful instructor Olivia.

tip on making batter: mix on very low speed, until just combined

another great tip: use an ice cream scooper to scoop up cake batter

We tried our hand at three cupcake recipes (banana, chocolate, and vanilla) and three basic frostings (vanilla, chocolate, and cream cheese).  Along the way, we picked up some great tips (like how to make a batter that results in super-fluffy cupcakes) and learned proper technique on frosting a cupcake.  We even transformed our basic frostings into our very own custom ones, adding raspberry puree, cinnamon, and peanut butter.  

a custom topping: vanilla frosting with raspberry puree

Olivia demonstrating how to frost a cupcake the Butter Lane-way: tap, tap, turn!

The results: the lightest, fluffiest, prettiest cupcakes I've ever made.  My favorite combination: chocolate cupcake with peanut butter chocolate frosting (it is as dreamy and delicious as it sounds).  

the treat at the end of the evening: my very own box of cupcakes to take home!

It was such a fun evening, meeting and baking with fellow food bloggers.  

Thank you, Butter Lane, CourseHorse, Mallory, Olivia, and Kelly and Miachel!

Sucré Salé, Brussels

the storefront of Sucré Salé

I've crawled out of the mountain of work, emails, and errands that piled up while I was away.  Now, finally, some time to reflect on my time in Europe.  

our friendly waitress

Imagine my delight when a dear friend brought me to a charming cafe with the namesake of my blog: Sucré Salé.  The cafe is in the Saint Boniface area of Brussels, which -- notwithstanding the neo-Gothic cathedral that towers above the surrounding buildings -- has a lively and bohemian feel to it, with colorful boutiques, shops, and restaurants lining the streets.

True to its name, Sucré Salé offers up both sweet and savory options.  The savory menu has over two dozen salads, sandwiches, and quiches to choose from.  For those in the mood for something sweet, there are pastries (apple turnovers, croissants, viennoiserie sweet rolls, raisin brioches) and desserts galore (molten chocolate, flourless chocolate, lemon meringue, apple crumb, and brown sugar cakes).  I had a perfect combination of a croque-madam and flourless chocolate cake.

the beautiful display of Sucré Salé's desserts

my lunch of croque-madame

the cafe's charming interior

The cafe's decor is charming, with tin cans lining the shelving that spans the entire length of a wall; specials of the day written out by hand on a chalkboard; and a large basket placed near the register revealing fresh baguettes and pastries.  The exposed brick adds rustic charm.  The mood is homey and casual, someplace you'd like to sit for hours, alone with a book or -- in my case -- catching up with a friend.

To Paris

My first time in Paris I remember well.  I saw the Mona Lisa, got kissed under the Eiffel Tower, and had an exquisite meal: red wine-braised duck and my first taste of foie gras.  My second time in Paris I explored Le Marais on foot, had my first taste of Laduree macarons, and dined at the marvelous Hidden Kitchen.  On my most recent trip I rode through the streets of Paris on the back of a motorcycle and had my first meal of kangaroo.

Each time I go to Paris, I'm a-flutter with excitement; each time I leave I'm wrapped under its spell.  Memories linger, the senses remember far after the plane touches down in NY.

I've been poring over food and fashion blogs these past few days in preparation for my next trip: the Hip Paris Blog, the unlike City Guides, and the Parisien Salon.  I've learned the macaron has given way in popularity to the eclair, which is enjoying a "serious revival" in Paris.  Out with the old; in with the new.  I now have some tips on how to lug my camera around and still stay "perfectly fashionable."  Chic bag, check.  And I have a list (fairly manageable, I think) of the best new patisseries, wine bars, and restaurants to check out.  Indulgences, sweet and savory.  I cannot wait.

À plus tard.

A Sweet & Savory Brunch

I've always felt there is no better way to start off a weekend than with a delicious brunch, complete with sweet and savory options.  And that's precisely the kind of brunch I prepared last Saturday!

For the first brunch of the day, I drew inspiration from a cooking challenge and a Bobby Flay recipe.  The cooking challenge had me make a wonderfully flavorful sage-almond pesto.  Pesto made, I spread a generous amount on a slice of toasted multigrain bread, then topped with some wild arugula, a fried egg, and slices of pan-fried chorizo.  The earthy undertones of the sage and almonds softened the peppery, sharp taste of the arugula; the egg was perfectly fried, with crispy edges and a warm, runny yolk; and the spicy chorizo had a satisfying bite.  

For the sweet portion of my brunch I made a baked apple topped with oatmeal and Greek yogurt, courtesy of Bobby Flay.  A "bowl" (including the core) is cut out of the apple, and then the insides are brushed with a sugar-cinnamon-butter mixture.  The apple is baked until soft (yet not too soft that it doesn't retain its structure), and then filled with some steel-cut oatmeal (sweetened also with some brown sugar), and then topped with a dollop of yogurt.  The results: a wonderfully spoonable, sweet delight.  

The two dishes made for a delightful combination. 

Sage Pesto

Recipe from GE Monogram 

(The rules of the cooking challenge were as follows: Make a pesto according to the recipe given and serve as an accompaniment to a dish of your choice.)

1 -1/2 cup fresh sage leaves, blanched then shocked, drained well

1/2 cup Marcona Almonds

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup garlic

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1/2 lemon, zest

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor then pulse several times until and paste forms.  The texture should be similar to natural peanut butter.

Baked Apples with Oatmeal and Yogurt 

Recipe courtsey of Bobby Flay.  Serves 6.

6 apples, bottoms sliced so apples stand

1 fresh lemon, halved

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch ground black pepper

1 cup apple cider

1 cup whole milk, heated

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

1-1/2 cups cooked steel-cut oatmeal, prepared according to package directions

Greek yogurt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  

Cut off the top third of each apple.  With a small knife, and working from the top of each apple, carefully carve out a large "bowl," including the core, about 2 inches in diameter.  Rub the cut part with lemon and put the apples into a 9-inch square baking dish.  Dice the carved-out parts of the apples, without the seeds, and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and then whisk in 4 tablespoons of the sugar, the cinnamon, and pepper and cook until smooth  Brush the inside of the apples with the butter mixture. Pour the apple cider into the bottom of the baking dish.  Cover the dish with foil and bake until the apples are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes longer.

Transfer the apples to a platter.  Carefully strain the cooking liquid into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Cook until it is reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes.  While the apples are baking, stir the hot milk, remaining sugar, reserved chopped apples and orange zest into the warm oatmeal and cook for a few minutes. Divide the oatmeal among the baked apples. Top each apple with a dollop of yogurt.

All-American, All-Delicious Apple Pie

I'm moving on to making pies! For some help and guidance I turn to Dori Greenspan's Baking: From My Home To Yours.  When it comes to pies, I can't think of anything more basic and more delicious than an apple pie. Dorie's chapter on pies and tarts has the perfect first entry for me: "All-American, All-Delicious Apple Pie."  

The recipe calls for four pounds of the baker's choice of apples.  I settle on a combination of Gala and Honeycrisp: Gala apples because I've read that after baking they take on a marvelous texture, holding their form yet yielding with first bite; and Honeycrisp apples for their perfect balance of sweet and tart.  Once peeled, cored, and sliced, the apples are lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.  Instant tapioca is used as a pie thickener. Since I can't find any at the grocery store, I substitute with some flour.

The pie crust recipe calls for a combination of butter (for flavor) and shortening (for flakiness). Pie crusts challenge me (they always have!), and while this recipe is no exception, I'm happy to report that I somehow manage to make a double crust.  Two crusts!  They look far from perfect.  But I'm less worried about how they look than how they will taste.  After about 65 minutes of bake time -- during which time my fingers are crossed, or I am peeking through the oven window with the light on, or both -- I remove the pie from the oven.  The top crust is beautifully golden and the juices from the apples are bubbling up through it.  

I serve myself a slice of warm apple pie and eat it plain.  No ice cream.  No caramel sauce.  And yet there is nothing plain about this apple pie.  The play of textures and flavors is so delightful!  As I bite into the pie, the crust -- perfectly flaky and tasty -- gives way to the apples, sweet with just a hint of tart and spice, which melt in my mouth as soon as I bite into them.  Dorrie describes this pie as "pretty darn good."  I couldn't agree more.  

All-American, All-Delicious Apple Pie

Baking: From My Home To Yours, by Dori Greenspan

For the pie filling*
(* This will fill a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. If using a standard 9 inch pie plate, just reduce the amount of filling by about 1/4.)

4 pounds apples
3/4 cup sugar
grated zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca (or substitute with 3 tablespoons flour)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into bits

For the crust
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2-1/2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon size pieces
1/3 cup very cold (frozen is even better) vegetable shortening, cut into four piece
About 1/2 cup ice water
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs


Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  Add the butter and shortening into the bowl and mix until you have some pieces the size of fact green peas and others the size of barley.

Gradually add the water until the dough looks evenly moistened.  Scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto a work surface.  Divide the dough in half. Gather each half into a ball, flatten each ball into a disk, and wrap each half in plastic. Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour before rolling.

Butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

Working on a well-floured surface, roll out one piece of the dough go to a thickness of about 1/8 inch.   Fit the dough into the buttered pie plate and trim the edges to a 1/2 inch overhang. Roll the other piece of dough into a 1/8-inch thick circle and flip it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover both the circle and the crust in the pie plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425°.
Peel, core, and slice the apples (slices should be about 1/4 inch thick). Put the apples into a large bowl and add the sugar, lemon zest, tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix everything together very well.

Remove the pie plate and top crust from the refrigerator and put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the bottom of the crust (this will help keep it from getting too soggy), and then turn the apples and their juices into the crust. Pat the apples into an even mound. Dot the apples with the bits of cold butter.

Very lightly moisten the rim of the bottom crust with water and center the top crust over the apples.  Either fold the overhang from the top crust under the bottom crust and crimp, or press the top crust against the bottom crust and trim the overhang from both crusts,  using the tines of a fork to press that you crusts together securely.  Use the sharp knife to cut about six slits in the top crust.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375° and bake the pie for another 50 to 60 minutes or until the crust is gorgeously browned and the juices bubble up through the top crust. After about 40 minutes in the oven, if the top crust looks as if it's browning too quickly cover the pie loosely with a foil tent.

Transfer the pie to a rack and let it rest until it is only just warm or until it reaches room temperature.