Donuts with a side of Holes

 I miss the days of homemade donuts being as fast and simple as a refrigerated tube of Pillsbury dough, but honestly, I should not be complaining, because we still can enjoy donuts.  This was one of the many reasons I created my imitation/substitute Pillsbury Dough (I did modify my original "Pillsbury" recipe to fit fried donuts a bit better).  

Honestly, if you are just starting out on a Gluten Free Diet, your diet will only be as limited as you make it. All things possible with Gluten Filled Flours are possible with Gluten Free Flours; your will and creativity are going to be the primary factors in the possibilities you find in your new found world.  Only YOU construct your limits making them as constricted or non-existent as you would like.  I like to see my experience as a pass to limitless creativity in the kitchen; all boundaries removed, no rules but my own, and I am not constrained to using a list of ingredients someone else has determined as correct.  I. AM. FREE!!!  And I, AM THE BOSS!!!

Oh, I think we were on the subject of donuts.  So you have decided that you wanted a donut and if you are reading this entry, you probably live somewhere, where Gluten Free bakeries do not exist (which is most places).  Well, I promise that these donuts are a good selection for a donut, gluten free life or not.  The texture of these donuts fall between your traditional cake donut and yeast donut.  They are still soft and spongy like a yeast donut, though a bit less airy, yet not as heavy as a cake donut.  While they look more like a cake donut, I think they are closer to the yeast donut than a cake donut. There is also no distinct flavor.  I hope this recipe satisfies you as well as any of the Gluten-Filled homemade donut recipes!  (If youprefer cake donuts, see my tip marked by the * below)

You will be frying these, so you will need a 32 oz bottle of oil.  Don't go using your best olive oil, coconut oil, or even canola oil. It won't be worth it. Use your grocers cheapest oil for these. After all we ARE frying and the process 'fries' any nutrients that was in the oil to the point that there is no nutrition left in the end result.  I have a bottle that I designate as my frying oil and I use it and resuse it for donuts, corndogs, hush puppies, etc. until the color tells me it is due to be thrown away.  After each use I strain the oil as I pour it back into the bottle to remove any of the fried debris and label my bottle 'FRY'. Usually I can use the oil 4-5 times before I need to toss it.

As I was typing this entry I thought it might be a good idea to roll out my slab for donuts and then coat with butter and refrigerate for a half an hour to control the stickiness of the dough.  I will definitely have to try it this way next time we make them, but thought i might put it out on the table if anyone out there may want to try it too.

note: you will need a circle cutter about 3-3.5 inches in diameter and another about 1 inch in diameter.  If you are choosing to make holes instead of donuts, you just need a good pair of hands :o).  If you have an oil thermometer like this, consider yourself lucky; it will come in REALLY handy for these! The thermometer clips to the pan making it really easy to maintain oil temperature consistently about 375.  If not, don't fret, winging it works well too!

Donuts or Holes

1/3 cup Tapioca

1/3 cup Rice Flour

1/3 cup Sorghum Flour
1/4 cup Jello Brand Vanilla Pudding 
               sugar and fat free (this one is GFCF)
1/4 cup Sugar
1 TBSP Potato FLOUR (not starch)
2 tsp Gelatin
1 tsp Guar Gum
1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder

*  *  *  *  

2 tsp Yeast**
1/2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP Warm Water
*  *  *  *

2 TBSP Butter

2/3 cup Warm Rice Milk *
1 TBSP Vegetable Oil *

2 eggs, Room Temperature

*If you like cake donuts, decrease rice milk to 1/3 cup, OMIT the vegetable oil, and add 1/3 cup melted butter. 

1) Combine first list of ingredients (dry ingredients) in a medium mixing bowl and create a well in the middle.

2) Combine second list of ingredients in a small cereal bowl and set aside until it has thickened.

3) Combine last list of ingredients (wet ingredients) in a small mixing bowl.

4) Once yeast mixture has thickened pour wet ingredients and yeast mixture into the well of the dry ingredients. Mix 'til incorporated and then spread dough up the sides of the bowl and let rest for 5-10 mins until the dough stiffens some what (will be tempting to skip this step, but DON'T).  You will notice it become slightly less sticky, though there will still be some stickiness to it. Using a rubber spatula, scrape dough from sides of bowl and pat into a ball.

5) For Donut holes for balls by covering your hands in plastic bags or plastic gloves and rolling dough into 3/4 inch diameter balls placing them on saran wrap as you roll them.  Fry in 375 degree oil for about 10- 15 seconds on each side to start. Start one at a time until you get a hole with the right color and internal done-ness.

6) For donuts: Divide dough into 2 parts and set one aside. Between two sheets of saran wrap, roll one part of the dough into a 1/2 inch slab about 3-3.5 inches wide; a narrow strip of dough will be easier to work with. Proceed to use a 3-3.5 inch cookie/biscuit cutter (or cup if you don't have a cutter) to cut the slab into circles and then punch a hole in the middle using a smaller cutter about 1 inch in diameter.  Dough will be sticky and will likely stick to the objects. (Try not to use flour to prevent stickiness, as this will cause donuts to be heavy.  You can grease the cutters and/or spray the dough with non-stick spray to lessen the sticking. If you must use flour, use tapioca flour) I find it easiest to transfer dough one circle at a time using saran wrap rather than my fingers or a spatula.  You may find it easier to pat a ball into a 1/2 inch thick 3-3.5 inch diameter circle and then just punch a hole in middle.  

7) In a deep pan, pour 2-3 inches of oil and heat to 375 if you have a thermometer.  For a 3 inch diameter, fry 20-30 seconds on first side and then flip for another 15-20 to start.  For 3.5 inch fry 25-35 seconds on the first side followed by 20-25 on the next to start. I always start one at a time until I get the right color on the outside and the right done-ness on the inside twice in a row.  Then 3 or 4 at a time after.

8) Dust in powdered sugar or top with your favorite frosting and sprinkles.

Blueberry Buckle

 

A couple of weeks ago the kids and I went to a blueberry farm and picked blueberries. If you have never had the opportunity to pick farm fresh berries, I strongly recommend it. We had so much fun picking the berries and have been enjoying the fruits of our labors.  We made Blueberry Lime Jam, had blueberry pancakes, and then in my efforts to use all the blueberries wisely, I ventured to a breakfast style cake.  It falls in the same category as a Blueberry Buckle, but I also used  a significant amount of coconut ingredients, which to me, challenge its position in the world of buckles.  As the cake finalizes its time in the oven, you're senses are overcome with a lusciously divine coconut.

My intent for this cake was breakfast, so I did not top it with anything.  It definitely stands alone very well!  If I were serving it as a dessert, I would consider making a simple blueberry syrup with whole berries and a little sugar on stove top or perhaps a Coconut Cream topping (I promise to post this soon, I know many would love a decent substitute for a whipped cream :o). 

Blueberry Buckle

Streusel Topping:

2 TBSP Tapioca Starch

2 TBSP Rice Flour

1/4 cup Brown Sugar 

1/2 cup Coconut

2 TBSP Coconut Oil

Mix all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl and set aside.  Be sure to do this first, so it will be ready to use immediately after dough/batter is placed in the pan.

Cake:

2.5 cups blueberries
1 TBSP Rice Flour
1 TBSP Tapioca Starch
* * * *
1/2 Cup Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Tapioca Starch
1/3 Cup Amaranth
2/3 Cup Sorghum Flour
1/4 Cup Flax
3/4 Cup Sugar
3 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
3 Tsp Guar Gum
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Gelatin
1/2 tsp Salt
* * * *
1/4 Cup Softened Butter (1/2 stick)
3 TBSP Coconut Oil
2 Eggs
2 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Milk

Directions:


1) In a small bowl, combine the Fresh Blueberries and Flours until the blueberries are evenly coated.

2) Place all dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and mix together.

3) Add floured blueberries to the dry ingredients and gently combine, trying to avoid 'breaking' the skin of any blueberries. Form a well and prepare all wet ingredients.

4) Place all wet ingredients in a small mixing bowl, OR if you think you can work fast, have all your wet ingredients ready and measure them directly into the well in the dry ingredients/blueberry mixture.  Speed will be the key if you choose the second method.

5) Mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just enough to moisten the dry ingredients.

6) Place dough in a greased spring-form pan, top with streusel lightly pressing it into the dough.

7) Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 55 minutes or until  knife comes out clean.
8) Let cool fully, run a knife around the edges of the pan, and then take off the springform sides.
9) Serve and enjoy!!

Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Coconut Muffins

For the month of June Betty Crocker was having a contest with all of their Gluten Free boxed mixes.  Contestants would create and submit a Holiday, Bread, or Dessert recipe using a Betty Crocker Gluten Free boxed mix.
 

A friend of mine sent me the challenge and I decided that I would try it out!  It was a fun experience and I actually ended up submitting 2 recipes.  The first recipe was my Chicken Dumpling Soup, but then I realized it may not fall under one of the contest categories and so I decided to submit the second.  The second and final one is a modified version of my Double Chocolate Coconut Muffins.  I used the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix and made it as written below.  It really is a wonderful duplication of my original recipe, though you not only reduce the time it takes to make the muffins, but a minimal amount of nutritional value too.  But it is worth the switch, in a pinch you can whip these up rather quickly and they are beyond DELICIOUS! The boxed mix just adds to the awesomeness of these muffins. 

The Contest closed last night and now the Betty Crocker Chefs will be making and judging them all summer long.  They will find 10 finalists before they will release the results to the public to test and vote for a winner!  It will be very exciting and interesting to see how the recipe fares!  Wish me luck!!

Streusel Topping

2 TBSP Tapioca Starch

2 TBSP Favorite Chocolate Milk Powder

1/4 cup Brown Sugar (not packed)

1/4 cup Pecans, chopped

1/2 cup Coconut

2 TBSP Melted Butter or Coconut Oil

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, add melted butter, mix until coated evenly, then set aside. Be sure to do this step first, so it is ready to use once you have your dough made.

 

Muffins

1 Box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix

1 - 1.4 oz Box Jell-o Brand Chocolate Sugar and Fat free pudding mix

2 TBSP Flax, freshly ground (measure before grinding)

1/2 cup Chopped Pecans

1/3 cup Shredded Coconut

1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

* * * * 

2/3 cup Rice Milk

1/3 cup Butter

1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree (canned or homemade pumpkin)

2 Eggs

1) Place all dry ingredients (1st list) in a medium bowl and mix well

2) Place all wet ingredients (2nd list) in a small baking bowl and mix well

3) Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it.

4) Mix sufficiently to just combine the wet and dry ingredients.  Be careful not to over mix.

5) Spray muffin pans with non-stick spray and fill just below the rim.

6) Top generously with Streusel topping. Using the back of a spoon, lightly press the streusel into the muffins.

7) Bake in oven preheated to 350 for 26-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in bread comes out nearly clean. When checking with a toothpick, be sure the toothpick is inserted into bread and not chocolate chips.

8) Enjoy!!

Makes about 11.