Thanksgivukkah Baked Doughnuts

Monday, November 25, 2013
Thanksgiving is one of my favourite times of the year. Most likely, you're either asking what Thanksgiving even is or accusing me of being British and therefore prohibited from celebrating the American holiday where thanks is given for the harvest of the year to come. Well, I am in fact American, and not an impostor. Not only do I hold an American passport but an American Mother, which (in my case) makes me as American as one can get. You might tell me that I live in England, meaning I have no reason to celebrate. However, that's far from the truth. Since my newly American siblings are dismissed from school/work/housewife duties on Thanksgiving, this means they get to visit, which means I get to see them, so actually Thanksgiving is very important in my household. 

Yankee or not, though, if Thanksgiving is the holiday where we give thanks for the harvest we will be receiving in the year to come, I can translate that into giving thanks for all the delicious produce that will be at my local farmers market in the year to come and I am absolutely thankful for that. 

Hanukkah is one my favourite holidays too. Reasonably, this used to be because my parents would buy  my four siblings and me eight seperate gifts. This happened for about 15 years. (Woah, that's a lot of gifts. 600 to be exact. 40 per year!) Now, I call it my favourite holiday because sometime after Hanukkah (maybe even several months after) I find a material item I desperately need (want) and claim my credits from the eight Hanukkah gifts I never received. 

This year is special, it's my very first Thanksgivukkah. Hanukkah Santa is coming early this year and he's just in time for the Thanksgiving turkey. One might think this isn't such a good thing since it kind of deprives you of a second, much needed holiday, but I just think it gives you an excuse to have doughnuts at Thanksgiving. (Baked Doughnuts, of course. How many calories can one really intake in one day)?











Adapted from Food52's Cinnamon Puffs
YOU WILL NEED:

FOR THE DOUGH:
1/3 CUP BUTTER
1/2 CUP RAW GRANULATED SUGAR
1 EGG
1 1/2 CUPS FLOUR
1 1/2 TSP BAKING POWDER
1/2 TSP SALT
1/4 TSP GROUND NUTMEG
1/4 TSP GROUND GINGER POWDER
2 TSP ORANGE ZEST
1/4 TSP CINNAMON
1/2 CUP SEMI-SKIMMED MILK

FOR THE TOPPING:
1/4 CUP MELTED BUTTER
1/2 CUP SUGAR
1 1/2 TSP CINNAMON

Pre-heat oven to 175 C or 350 F.

Melt the butter for the dough in a pan on medium heat until it has become light brown. (It will smell amazing). Remove from heat and transfer to a separate bowl to cool.

Grease doughnut tin. (If you don't have one you can also do them in muffin form).

Once the melted butter has cooled, add the sugar and egg and beat with an electric mixture until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, ginger, orange zest and cinnamon.

While mixing the wet mixture, add a quarter of the flour mixture, alternating with the milk until all mixed in and somewhere between a pancake and cookie batter.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a light golden colour.

For the topping, mix together the sugar and cinnamon and pour onto a flat plate.

Remove the doughnuts from the baking tin and brush with the melted butter. Dip in the sugar and cinnamon mixture making sure they're completely covered.

Best served warm. (You can also bake the doughnuts a day or so in advance, reheat them and coat them at the last minute.

Makes 6 - 7 doughnuts.

Happy Thanksgivukkah!

<3 Emanuelle