Donuts are another desert that sends me straight back to the childhood days, and I was craving for that sweet lemon dough scent.
This pastry had it's own dear place in my menu, first association to is seaside. In 4th grade I was at summer camp with the rest of the kids from school, we were settled in resort - Buljarice, tiered bungalows with 4 beds each. Narrow path to the beach was more reminiscent of going through the jungle than the path to the places that I considered sacred at that time, the first sea, the first beach, the first swimming ever (there learned to swim).
After unpleasant 15 min walking, right there on the beach delicious chocolate or vanilla filled donuts were selling.
How little I need to forget the suffer!
Second association is warm cozy kitchen which wafts the smell of a bunch of fried donuts while the snow is falling outside, simply sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Since there is no snow outside, this time I headed for longing summer version, filled with cream. Same time lavender cream fell on my mind (picked some on the market this morning), all I ever tasted with it was tea, macarons an mostly it serves me as air refresher (for burning).
Before creams, let's start with dough, you won't need much:
800 gr flour type 400
400 ml warm milk
50 ml oil
40gr fresh yeast
2 whole eggs
1 spoon of sugar
lemon zest
Ground yeast, add sugar and warm milk, let it rise. Measure 700 gr flour, add lemon zest according to your taste (I like it intense), pour in activated yeast, two eggs and oil.
Knead all in until dough is silky smooth, leave it until doubles.
When it comes about classics such as donuts mostly I strive to ask 'someone experienced' for recipe. Not saying there aren't plenty around internet but why risking when I know someone who has a good one!
MOM!
After three attempts of reaching her, finally she answered:
'Do you remember that green book with recipes I had? Well, it left in the basement (place only for meal preps and food storing) I forgot most of recipe books after we moved out, the mice ate everything.
Mice ate all the donuts!
I was doomed to poke at some from my book recipe.
(there was a recipe collecting phase, some are still never made, and some are written in few versions)
(chop a small part of dough and throw in the pan - method how to check out is the oil properly heated)
Dough is now already doubled and next step in sprinkling rest of the flour on the working surface, at first it will be a bit sticky, but soft like cloud. Knead in flour gently (this part in baking relaxes me the most)
Roll it out to a thickness of 1 cm using a rolling pin, repeat until there is no dough left.
Part I am not enjoying preparing donuts is huge amount of oil for frying, no matter of I often prefer creamy, fatty flavor, but deep fried hmhmhm - nah.
(not really sure what is perfect frying temperature, and stove and I are still getting to know each other)
Sentence that still echoes in my head
"Dough shouldn't touch the bottom, it must float - that much oil you need for frying."
Not sure was the problem in my frying dish (wok) or recipe, but donuts wasn't blowing hollow as I imagined (mid pissed off).
Where will I squeeze creamy filling in!?
Not so flat, but almost there, what wasn't missing out is that wonderful gentle smell of lemon, made me forgive them for not being fluffy enough.
Lavander cream filling
200 ml milk
1 spoon of dry lavender or 2 spoons of fresh one, sugar according to the taste, if desired pinch of lemon zest is most welcome in this combo,
I ADDED IT!
Soak lavender flowers in water for a short time to wash, drain, add to a saucepan with milk, sugar and zest, cook until it boil then add 2 spoons of flour previously mixed with 50 ml milk, finish cream whisking until thickens.
Other creamy variation was chocolate pudding, for just in case lavender fails. There is no exact recipe except to read instructions on the package and subtract 100 ml from the recommended dose of milk for the pudding preparation.
(cream requires not to be liquid as pudding is when prepared according to instructions)
Use a mixer to beat 100 g of butter for the chocolate part, when the pudding is completely cooled, gradually add it and combine.
Fill the piping bag, stub it into donut and feel how it grows.
Although the donuts are not puffy, the inside is like cotton, it is for filling and making 'more room'.
With mine you are clear where the cream comes from, so bite there first!
Lack of puffiness made me pierce them with thumb and I apply the cream to the very inside, it was difficult to fill them invisibly, as the ones you buy in the bakery where you can hardly see where the cream is injected.
Lavender cream will need 70 gr previously beaten butter, combine all together and fill!
Do not be afraid you won't have any soapy after taste, just slight sweet lavender touch, probably next time I will boost the dose and make it more noticeable, straight away on the first bite!
Fluffy or not, I still recommend you to try them out as yummy breakfast or weekend treat, pastry can last for a few days is properly stored and kept away on some moisty chill place - fridge they call it.
Bon appetite!