Doughnuts (Recipe 16)

Did you know that there is (usually) a holiday every day? If yes, that's wonderful! If no, there is and it's great because there is always something to celebrate! At the beginning of every month I go on to a website that lists all the holidays for the month. (Today, by the way, is Ball Point Pen Day!). I write down all the holidays that sound most exciting on a calendar and then celebrate certain ones throughout the month.

The calendar I write on also has various food holidays written in and I was excited to see that June 7th was already filled in with National Doughnut Day! Oh goodness! What a terrific holiday. 

I thought about buying doughnuts at Aldi and just giving them to friends on National Doughnut Day. But, National Doughnut Day only comes once a year and I figured it would be more fun to celebrate with homemade doughnuts. And so, when June 7th rolled around I was ready to try out a new recipe – Doughnuts. 

Since finishing student teaching I have not set my alarm in the morning and just get up when my eyes open. This generally happens between 6:48 and 7:23 every morning. I love it. I love early mornings. The sun is shining in its new morning way. The mist is rising off of the grass. Birds are singing their praises to God. And there is a stillness that can't be matched. 

On Friday morning I woke up at 7:21 and whipped up a batch of doughnuts. I found a recipe online for baked (not fried) doughnuts and decided to try it out. 

The Recipe: 

• 1 1/3 cups Warm Milk
• 2 teaspoons Yeast 
• 2 tablespoons Butter 
• 2/3 cup Sugar 
• 2 large Eggs 
• 5 cups Flour 
• A pinch or two of Nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Salt

Simply mix it together (no need to let the yeast proof) and knead. It should be a little sticky. Let it rest for an hour, or until doubled in size. 

I sat down and ate some breakfast, read through some Psalms, and read a bit of Peter Pan (which is an interesting book) while I waited for the dough to rise. 

After an hour, punch the dough down and roll out to about 1/2 an inch. Then cut. I used a cup to cut out the doughnuts and an empty ibuprofen bottle to cut out the center. After cutting them out, let them rise for another 45 minutes to an hour.  

When they have risen bake them at 375ºF for 7 minutes. Let them sit for about a minute when they come out and then coat them in butter and sugar/cinnamon, or roll them in a cream cheese icing glaze, or spread Nutella on them and sprinkle them with nuts or colourful sprinkles. Really, do whatever your heart desires and I'm sure it will be delectable. 

Then, celebrate! Damarise and I drove around and delivered them to our friends at work. I made a little over 50 doughnuts and by the end of the day they were all gone (Yes!). They were fun to make and it was fun to spread the joy of National Doughnut Day by giving people doughnuts.