C R I S P Y T A R T S: Big Love

I am in the midst of a love affair with the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook. A full-on, put on my baggie pants, cholesterol be damned, throw the weight scale out the window...tryst. This cookbook is like an albatross of love wrapped firmly around my neck. Whatever it wants, it gets. Today, it told me to make this doughnut recipe...ASAP.

Never one to 'dough it' alone and without Danielle for back up, I enlisted my friend Michelle who is visiting from NYC. Michelle makes a Tart proud as she's tried many of the recipes we CTs have posted over the last year. She's turned into a talented little Tartalini and was eager to get her Big Sur on.

So we did, of course...for Big Sur Bakery. All in the name of love. Ahhhh...

Big Sur Bakery Doughnuts

w/ Lemon-Honey Glaze

(Printable recipe)

1/4 cup lukewarm water

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon active dry yeast

2-1/4 cups bread flour (plus extra for dusting)

1-1/4 cups + 1 tablespoon pastry flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

5 tablespoons whole milk powder

3/4 cup cold water

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

canola oil, for frying

*Jelly or preserves, optional

In the bowl of an electric mixer, place the lukewarm water and sprinkle the yeast over. Stir and leave for 5 minutes.

In another large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, pastry flour, baking powder, sugar, nutmeg, and milk powder until combined. Take about 1-1/2 cups of this and add it to the activated yeast, along with the cold water, unsalted butter, and egg. With the dough hook fitted, mix on low for a minute. With the mixer still on, add the remaining flour mixture in the span of a minute. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 2 minutes, then scrape down the sides and knead on high speed for 2 minutes. Spray a large bowl with baking spray, place the dough inside and cover the top loosely with cling film. Refrigerate overnight.

Turn the dough out on a floured surface and roll 1/2 inch thick. Cut out 3-1/2 inch doughnut rounds, with a hole diameter of 1 inch. (For jelly doughnuts, do not cut a 1 inch hole.)
Line a sheet pan with a linen towel and dust it with flour. Place the doughnuts and the holes on the pan and cover loosely with cling film. Let it rise in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Fill a pot with oil about 2 inches deep and heat over low heat until the oil reaches 350°F. Fry the doughnuts without crowding, flipping halfway through cooking, which should take about 4 minutes in all. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to cool.

Lemon-Honey Doughnut Glaze

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons honey

grated zest of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons whole milk

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl with a whisk until smooth. Dip the top half of the cooled doughnuts and shake off the excess.

Yes, some are a little overdone and one has a large bite taken out of it, but what can we say...we're Tarts.

For the jelly doughnuts, poke a hole with the back of a wooden spoon or use a pastry gun with a filling attachment and fill with jam of choice (we used raspberry) until the doughnut feels a little heavy. Then dip in glaze.