The key to a flaky croissant is proper lamination, but you don’t need a fancy dough sheeter or bread proofer to make these. If this is your first time making a homemade croissant recipe, don't worry. Learn from Chef Christophe how to make the puff pastry dough and laminate it all by hand! Make these delicious croissants ahead of time and freeze them before baking to save time.

Croissant Ingredients

High Gluten Flour is important when making bread because bread flour has more proteins which will develop more gluten. This is important for the croissants to hold their shape. 

Milk Powder is basically dehydrated milk. This is important for the croissants because the milk powder will help create super soft layers without adding extra moisture. 

European Butter has a higher fat percentage, which means the croissants will have amazing flavor and super flakey layers. Plugra or President are great brands you can find at the store and they have fat percentages over 80%.

Instant Yeast is fast acting and will help our croissant dough rise quickly and is easier to use than fresh levain. You can also use active dry yeast, but it will take about double the amount of time to proof.

How to Make Homemade Croissants

Making homemade croissants is a labor of love, and can be fairly time-consuming with all of the proofing and chilling. You can make them all in one day, but if you want to serve them for breakfast I recommend making the croissant dough, proofing it, making and chilling the butter block, laminating the dough, chilling that, then rolling out the croissants, placing them on a sheet pan and chilling them overnight. Then proof the croissants and bake them on the morning you're ready to serve.

Making Croissant Dough

1. Add the cold water and instant yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer and gently whisk it to break up any lumps.
2. Next, add the milk powder, flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and mix on low for a few seconds to combine.
3. Add the cold melted butter and mix on low speed for about 4 minutes.
4. Mix for another 4 minutes on medium speed. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can knead by hand until the dough bounces back when you touch it.
5. After the dough is done mixing, take it out and knead it by hand. Shape the dough into a ball by cupping both of your hands around your dough and moving the dough in small circular formations while the bottom of the dough is still touching the table. Repeat this over and over until your dough ball is tight, smooth, and well combined. 
6. Place your dough into a medium-sized bowl, cover it with plastic, and let it rise until it doubles in size. At room temperature (72°F) this will take about 2 hours to proof. In a warm environment (90°F), it will take about 1 hour. I like to place it in my oven with the light on and leave the door open.

Making the Butter Block

1. Make sure to soften your butter before creating your butter block so that it's easy to roll out. You should be able to press a finger into the surface of the butter and easily make an indent.
2. Lay out a large sheet of plastic wrap and place the butter in the center.
3. Fold the plastic wrap to make an 8" by 8" square. This is the size that we'll want our butter block to be.
4. Roll the butter with a rolling pin into the corners of the plastic wrap until it is about ¼" thick.
5. Refrigerate the butter block until your dough is ready.

Laminating the Dough

1. Once your dough has doubled in size, place it onto a lightly floured work surface and gently press it down with your hands.
2. Roll the dough into an 8” by 16” rectangle.
3. Place the dough onto a sheet pan, wrap it in plastic wrap, and freeze it until it is firm for about 15 minutes.
4. Take the cold butter block and dough out of the freezer and unwrap them.
5. Place the butter block in the center of your dough.
6. Fold the bottom and top of the croissant dough into the center of the butter block until they are touching.
7. Enclose the butter in the dough by pinching the edges of the dough with your fingers.
8. Tap the edges of the butter block with your rolling pin to make sure they have been pressed into the corners.
9. Rotate the croissant dough 90 degrees so that the seam is down the middle. Pro-Tip: Work quickly so that the butter doesn't melt.
10. Flour the bottom and top of the dough and roll it out to be ¼" thick, about an 8" by 22" rectangle.
11. Do a book fold by folding the top and bottom to the center of the dough again.
12. Then fold the entire dough in half and do another 90-degree turn.
13. Gently roll the dough a little bit into a rectangular shape so that it is easier to cut out after chilling. You will feel your dough starting to get stretchy.
14. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze it for 10 to 15 minutes.
15. Do a second book fold by repeating steps 10 through 13. Brush off any excess flour.
16. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze it for another 15 to 30 minutes. Pro-Tip: If you want to make your croissant dough a day ahead, this is a good place to stop. Refrigerate the dough overnight, then proof and assemble them the next day.

Assembling the Croissants

1. Take the croissant dough out and place it on a lightly floured surface with the short side of the folds facing to the side.
2. Roll the dough lengthwise into a long rectangle. Roll until it is 4mm (1/32") thick and about 9" wide. Pro-Tip: Fold and unfold the dough as you're rolling it to flour the surface and keep it from sticking. If your gluten is very stretchy and not rolling out, let it rest for 15 minutes.
3. Cut out about 12 small triangles at an angle that are each 4" wide and about 9" long with a sharp knife or a pizza cutter. Pro-Tip: Mark the cuts first and use a ruler before cutting them.
4. Roll each triangle into a crescent shape by holding the wide base of the dough with your fingers and slowly rolling it tightly toward the point, making sure to tuck the dough in as you go. If you roll the croissant too loose, it will fall apart in the oven.
5. Set the rolled croissants onto a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper and cover it with plastic wrap. If you're making these ahead of time, you can refrigerate the croissants at this stage and proof them in the morning before baking.

Proofing the Croissants

1. Place the shaped croissants on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper so that they are about 2" apart and are facing the same direction. You might need two sheet pans if your pans are small.
2. Create a water bath by pouring some hot water (not boiling) into a large bowl or a small rectangular pan. 
3. Stick the bowl or pan at the bottom oven rack to create steam.
4. Place your croissants (uncovered) on the highest oven rack above the water bath. The ideal temperature for proofing croissants is between 76°F and 78°F.
5. Make sure to turn your oven light on, then close the oven. (Do not open your oven too often to check on the croissants. This will let the humidity out and the croissants won't rise.)
6. Proof for about 1 hour or until the croissants double in size and are jiggly. 

Baking the Croissants

1. Preheat the oven to 370°F (190°C) in the convection mode of your oven.
2. Create an egg wash by whisking together 3 egg yolks with 2 Tablespoons of water. Pro-tip: Pour the egg wash into a clean spray bottle to get a more even coating over your croissants.
3. Brush a thin layer of egg wash all over each croissant, making sure to get the sides and bottom edges. Pro-Tip: Fill a clean spray bottle with the egg wash and spray the croissants for an even layer.
4. Bake your croissants for about 20 minutes until they are golden brown and flaky.
5. These croissants are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, but they're best kept fresh by freezing them in an airtight container until serving.

FAQ

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Recipe

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Croissant Recipe

Learn how to make these super flakey butter croissants from scratch! Get that beautiful "spider web" look on the inside with layers of butter and croissant dough. This is a great recipe for beginners to learn how to make croissant dough, proof it at home, laminate, assemble, and bake!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine French

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Chilling and Proofing 3 hours hours 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 12 croissants

Calories 433kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• 1 Stand mixer with the hook attachment
• 1 pastry brush

Ingredients

Croissant Dough

• 290 grams cold water
• 14 grams instant yeast
• 560 grams high-gluten flour (bread flour) all purpose flour is okay too
• 60 grams granulated sugar
• 10 grams salt
• 16 grams milk powder
• 70 grams unsalted butter European butter like "plugra"

Lamination

• extra flour for sprinkling
• 300 grams unsalted butter European butter like "plugra"

Egg Wash

• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp water

Instructions

Making Croissant Dough

• Add the cold water and instant yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer and gently whisk it to break up any lumps.
• Next, add the milk powder, flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and mix on low for a few seconds to combine.
• Add the cold melted butter and mix on low speed for about 4 minutes.
• Mix for another 4 minutes on medium speed. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can knead by hand until the dough bounces back when you touch it.
• After the dough is done mixing, take it out and knead it by hand. Shape the dough into a ball by cupping both of your hands around your dough and moving the dough in small circular formations while the bottom of the dough is still touching the table. Repeat this over and over until your dough ball is tight, smooth, and well combined. 
• Place your dough into a medium-sized bowl, cover it with plastic, and let it rise until it doubles in size. At room temperature (72°F) this will take about 2 hours to proof. In a warm environment (90°F), it will take about 1 hour. I like to place it in my oven with the light on and leave the door open.

Making the Butter Block

• Make sure to soften your butter before creating your butter block so that it's easy to roll out. You should be able to press a finger into the surface of the butter and easily make an indent.
• Lay out a large sheet of plastic wrap and place the butter in the center.
• Fold the plastic wrap to make an 8" by 8" square. This is the size that we'll want our butter block to be.
• Roll the butter with a rolling pin into the corners of the plastic wrap until it is about ¼" thick.
• Refrigerate the butter block until your dough is ready.

Laminating the Dough

• Once your dough has doubled in size, place it onto a lightly floured work surface and gently press it down with your hands.
• Roll the dough into an 8” by 16” rectangle.
• Place the dough onto a sheet pan, wrap it in plastic wrap, and freeze it until it is firm for about 15 minutes.
• Take the cold butter block and dough out of the freezer and unwrap them.
• Place the butter block in the center of your dough.
• Fold the bottom and top of the croissant dough into the center of the butter block until they are touching.
• Enclose the butter in the dough by pinching the edges of the dough with your fingers. Tap the edges of the butter block with your rolling pin to make sure they have been pressed into the corners.
• Rotate the croissant dough 90 degrees so that the seam is down the middle. Pro-Tip: Work quickly so that the butter doesn't melt.
• Flour the bottom and top of the dough and roll it out to be ¼" thick, about an 8" by 22" rectangle.
• Do a book fold by folding the top and bottom to the center of the dough again.
• Then fold the entire dough in half and do another 90-degree turn.
• Gently roll the dough a little bit into a rectangular shape so that it is easier to cut out after chilling. You will feel your dough starting to get stretchy
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze it for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Do a second book fold by repeating steps 10 through 13. Brush off any excess flour.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze it for another 15 to 30 minutes. Pro-Tip: If you want to make your croissant dough a day ahead, this is a good place to stop. Refrigerate the dough overnight, then proof and assemble them the next day.

Assembling the Croissants

• Take the croissant dough out and place it on a lightly floured surface with the short side of the folds facing to the side.
• Roll the dough lengthwise into a long rectangle. Roll until it is 4mm (1/32") thick and about 9" wide. Pro-Tip: Fold and unfold the dough as you're rolling it to flour the surface and keep it from sticking. If your gluten is very stretchy and not rolling out, let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Cut out about 12 small triangles at an angle that are each 4" wide and about 9" long with a sharp knife or a pizza cutter. Pro-Tip: Mark the cuts first and use a ruler before cutting them.
• Roll each triangle into a crescent shape by holding the wide base of the dough with your fingers and slowly rolling it tightly toward the point, making sure to tuck the dough in as you go. If you roll the croissant too loose, it will fall apart in the oven.
• Set the rolled croissants onto a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper and cover it with plastic wrap. If you're making these ahead of time, you can refrigerate the croissants at this stage and proof them in the morning before baking.

Proofing the Croissants

• Place the shaped croissants on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper so that they are about 2" apart and are facing the same direction. You might need two sheet pans if your pans are small.
• Create a water bath by pouring some hot water (not boiling) into a large bowl or a small rectangular pan. 
• Stick the bowl or pan at the bottom oven rack to create steam.
• Place your croissants (uncovered) on the highest oven rack above the water bath. The ideal temperature for proofing croissants is between 76°F and 78°F.
• Make sure to turn your oven light on, then close the oven. (Do not open your oven too often to check on the croissants. This will let the humidity out and the croissants won't rise.)
• Proof for about 1 hour or until the croissants double in size and are jiggly. 

Baking the Croissants

• Preheat the oven to 370°F (190°C) in the convection mode of your oven.
• Create an egg wash by whisking together 3 egg yolks with 2 Tablespoons of water. Pro-tip: Pour the egg wash into a clean spray bottle to get a more even coating over your croissants.
• Brush a thin layer of egg wash all over each croissant, making sure to get the sides and bottom edges. Pro-Tip: Fill a clean spray bottle with the egg wash and spray the croissants for an even layer.
• Bake your croissants for about 20 minutes until they are golden brown and flaky.
• These croissants are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, but they're best kept fresh by freezing them in an airtight container until serving.

Video

Notes

Using a Scale: I suggest purchasing a kitchen scale if you don’t already have one to make the best scratch recipes. One cup of flour can vary from scoop to scoop depending on how packed the flour is, its humidity, and the type of flour, which can ruin your recipe. All my cake recipes (except doctored box mixes) use a scale.

Practice Mise en Place: (Everything in its place) which means you measure everything before you start mixing so you don’t accidentally forget something or add any ingredients out of order. I use a set of medium and small pyrex glass bowls I got from goodwill for this and it makes things SO much easier.

High Gluten Flour is important when making bread because bread flour has more proteins which will develop more gluten. This is important for the croissants to hold their shape. 

Milk Powder is practically dehydrated milk. This is important for the croissants because the milk powder will help create super soft layers without adding extra moisture. 

European Butter has a higher fat percentage, which means the croissants will have amazing flavor and super flakey layers. Plugra or President are great brands you can find at the store and they have fat percentages over 80%.

Instant Yeast is fast acting and will help our croissant dough rise quickly and is easier to use than fresh levain. You can also use active dry yeast, but it will take about double the amount of time to proof.

Nutrition

Serving: 1croissant | Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 845IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Croissant Recipe appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

Executive pastry chef, Christophe Rull, is back to show us how to make this apple turnover recipe. These delicious puff pastry apple turnovers are buttery, flaky, and the perfect balance of sweet and acidic from the apple filling. A turnover is very similar to a hand pie or fresh apple pie but is traditionally made with puff pastry instead of pie dough.

Apple Turnover Ingredients

Gala apples work best because they’re crisp and mellow in flavor, and their natural sweetness requires less sugar to be added to the recipe. You can use granny smith, honey crisp, golden delicious, or any apples that you prefer.

European butter (like Plugra) has a higher fat content which makes it creamier and more flavorful. Using a higher quality butter will make a super flaky puff pastry dough. Just make sure to use COLD butter.

Vanilla beans have the best flavor, but you can also use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, I recommend using Nielsen Massey vanilla.

High Gluten Flour (like bread flour) contains more proteins and develops more gluten which helps your dough rise more evenly. You can use all-purpose flour if that's all you have.

Honey adds some extra sweetness and moisture to our apple filling. It has a distinct flavor that goes really well with apples and will give them a sweet taste!

Cornstarch is going to help to thicken our apple filling in this recipe. Mixing cornstarch and a liquid will make a slurry that will thicken jams, compotes, and other fillings.

Making Apple Turnovers From Scratch

This recipe goes over how to make rough puff pastry dough, laminate the dough, make the apple filling, and assemble apple turnovers from scratch. You can simplify this recipe by buying canned apple pie filling and store-bought puff pastry sheets to skip the lamination process. It may not be "quite" as flaky and buttery, but will still be delicious!

Making Rough Puff Pastry

1. Add the flour, salt, cold water, and melted butter into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment for 1-2 minutes until the ingredients are just combined.
2. Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the mixer.
3. Mix again on low speed until the butter is barely combined with the dough. Make sure to not over mix, we want to see pieces of butter in the dough (this will create the crunch and flakiness). 
4. Place the dough onto the table and shape it into a rectangle with your hands.
5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 2 hours until it’s firm to the touch. 

Laminating the Dough

1. Once the dough is chilled, flour the work surface, take the dough out of the fridge, and roll it out in a long rectangle that is about 24″ long and 8″ wide.
2. Give it the first book fold by folding each end towards the middle making sure the ends meet. 
3. Fold the dough in half along the seam to close the ends like a book. (Hence the term book fold.) Turn it a quarter of a turn so that the dough is now facing lengthwise.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 once more by rolling out the dough to do a second book fold. If your dough is bouncing back at the edges and is not rolling out easily, your gluten needs to relax. Wrap the dough and put it back in the refrigerator for an hour and try again. Also if your dough is too soft and warm, put your dough back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Once your second book fold is completed, wrap and rest your dough for 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge.

Making Apple Filling

1. Peel and cut your apples into small cubes.
2. Add the honey, sugar, and vanilla to a medium saucepan.
3. Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until it reaches a light blonde color. If you want an extra rich flavor, you can substitute some of the honey and sugar for brown sugar.
4. Add in the butter and apples and stir the mixture together.
5. Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes or until the apples are slightly soft and translucent. Don’t overcook the apples here, you want to avoid them getting too mushy when they bake later.
6. Combine the cold water and corn starch in a small bowl and add it to the apple mixture. Pro-Tip: Use equal parts of Clear Jel instead of corn starch for a more translucent and shiny apple filling.
7. Cook for about 1 more minute on medium heat, then remove it from the heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools. If you like a more tart apple filling, you can add a few tablespoons of lemon juice.
8. Pour the apple filling into a medium bowl and cover it with plastic wrap so it’s touching the surface of the filling. This is to prevent a film from forming on top.
9. Refrigerate the apple filling for about an hour or until it’s cooled down to room temperature. This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for a month.

Assembling the Turnovers

1. Once your dough is chilled, cut it in half. Then roll one half out in a long rectangle that is about 24″ long and 8″ wide. One batch of this rough puff will make about 12 apple turnovers.
2. Place the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Use a 4-inch ring to cut three or four equal circles out of the dough. You can also use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter if you don't have a circle. This dough cannot be rolled out again, but if you slice up the rest of the dough into strips, twist them, and bake them with some butter and a cinnamon sugar mix for delicious cinnamon sticks.
4. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
5. Dock the dough circles with a fork so that they don't overdevelop in the oven.
6. Mix an egg and water together in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash halfway around the outside of the circle.
7. Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of apple filling into the center of the dough and fold it in half.
8. Gently press the turnover on the edges to make a good connection with the egg wash. Touch the dough as little as possible to avoid heating up the butter too much.
9. Dip a 3 ½-inch ring in flour and press down to glue the edges together. Cut through to make a clean line, then remove the excess. This is optional, but it will make the turnovers extra pretty.
10. Place the turnovers on a lined baking sheet and brush them with egg wash. Egg wash makes the dough golden and shiny when baked.
11. With an Exacto blade or a sharp knife, gently score a few small slits on the top of each turnover. This shouldn't cut through the dough but make a beautiful shell pattern and extra flaky layers.
12. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until they are flaky and golden brown.
13. Set the turnovers aside on a wire rack to cool completely and brush with simple syrup for extra shine (optional).

FAQ

More Apple Desserts

Apple Cake

Simple Apple Filling

Apple Tart

Apple Galette

Easy Caramel Apples

Recipe

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Apple Turnover Recipe

The best apple turnovers are made with homemade puff pastry dough and a warm honey apple filling. Make your own from scratch, or use pre-made sheets of puff pastry and skip the lamination process for an easy recipe. They are simple to prepare and perfect to make ahead of time for an event or a special breakfast!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine French

Servings 12 turnovers

Calories 359kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• 1 4" round cutter optional
• 1 3 ½" round cutter optional

Ingredients

Rough Puff Pastry

• 170 grams cold water
• 50 grams melted unsalted butter
• 12 grams salt
• 340 grams high gluten flour bread flour (AP is okay too)
• 230 grams European unsalted butter cold and diced

Apple Filling

• 400 grams fresh apples gala
• 80 grams granulated sugar
• 80 grams honey
• 40 grams unsalted butter
• 1 whole vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon extract

Instructions

• This recipe goes over how to make rough puff pastry dough, laminate the dough, make the apple filling, and assemble apple turnovers from scratch. You can simplify this recipe by buying canned apple pie filling and store-bought puff pastry sheets to skip the lamination process. It may not be "quite" as flaky and buttery, but will still be delicious!

Making Rough Puff Pastry

• Add the flour, salt, cold water, and melted butter into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment for 1-2 minutes until the ingredients are just combined.
• Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the mixer.
• Mix again on low speed until the butter is barely combined with the dough. Make sure to not over mix, we want to see pieces of butter in the dough (this will create the crunch and flakiness). 
• Place the dough onto the table and shape it into a rectangle with your hands.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 2 hours until it’s firm to the touch. 

Laminating the Dough

• Once the dough is chilled, flour the work surface, take the dough out of the fridge, and roll it out in a long rectangle that is about 24″ long and 8″ wide.
• Give it the first book fold by folding each end towards the middle making sure the ends meet. 
• Fold the dough in half along the seam to close the ends like a book. (Hence the term book fold.) Turn it a quarter of a turn so that the dough is now facing lengthwise.
• Repeat steps 1-3 once more by rolling out the dough to do a second book fold. If your dough is bouncing back at the edges and is not rolling out easily, your gluten needs to relax. Wrap the dough and put it back in the refrigerator for an hour and try again. Also if your dough is too soft and warm, put your dough back in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Once your second book fold is completed, wrap and rest your dough for 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge.

Making Apple Filling

• Peel and cut your apples into small cubes.
• Add the honey, sugar, and vanilla to a medium saucepan.
• Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until it reaches a light blonde color. If you want an extra rich flavor, you can substitute some of the honey and sugar for brown sugar.
• Add in the butter and apples and stir the mixture together.
• Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes or until the apples are slightly soft and translucent. Don’t overcook the apples here, you want to avoid them getting too mushy when they bake later.
• Combine the cold water and corn starch in a small bowl and add it to the apple mixture. Pro-Tip: Use equal parts of Clear Jel instead of corn starch for a more translucent and shiny apple filling.
• Cook for about 1 more minute on medium heat, then remove it from the heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools. If you like a more tart apple filling, you can add a few tablespoons of lemon juice.
• Pour the apple filling into a medium bowl and cover it with plastic wrap so it’s touching the surface of the filling. This is to prevent a film from forming on top.
• Refrigerate the apple filling for about an hour or until it’s cooled down to room temperature. This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for a month.

Assembling the Turnovers

• Once your dough is chilled, cut it in half. Then roll one half out in a long rectangle that is about 24″ long and 8″ wide. One batch of this rough puff will make about 12 apple turnovers.
• Place the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Use a 4-inch ring to cut three or four equal circles out of the dough. You can also use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter if you don't have a circle.

  This dough cannot be rolled out again, but if you slice up the rest of the dough into strips, twist them, and bake them with some butter and a cinnamon sugar mix for delicious cinnamon sticks.
• Repeat with the other half of the dough.
• Dock the dough circles with a fork so that they don't overdevelop in the oven.
• Mix an egg and water together in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash halfway around the outside of the circle.
• Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of apple filling into the center of the dough and fold it in half.
• Gently press the turnover on the edges to make a good connection with the egg wash. Touch the dough as little as possible to avoid heating up the butter too much.
• Dip a 3 ½-inch ring in flour and press down to glue the edges together. Cut through to make a clean line, then remove the excess. This is optional, but it will make the turnovers extra pretty.
• Place the turnovers on a lined baking sheet and brush them with egg wash. Egg wash makes the dough golden and shiny when baked.
• With an Exacto blade or a sharp knife, gently score a few small slits on the top of each turnover. This shouldn't cut through the dough but make a beautiful shell pattern and extra flaky layers.
• Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until they are flaky and golden brown.
• Set the turnovers aside on a wire rack to cool completely and brush with simple syrup for extra shine (optional).

Video

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start

 

1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature or even a little warm (eggs, buttermilk, butter, etc). 

2. Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe. 

3. Practice Mise en Place (everything in it’s place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.

4. Gala apples are perfect for this recipe due to their mild sweetness. Granny smith apples and golden delicious apples are also good because they hold their crispness well when cooked, but have a more tart flavor. 

5. To make turnovers ahead of time, you can assemble them, freeze the unbaked turnovers, and bake them when you're ready to serve. Frozen turnovers will last for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1turnover | Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 684IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.4mg

The post Apple Turnover Recipe appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

Ladyfingers are meringue-based cookies which makes them super spongey. That makes them great cookies for soaking up any kind of liquid they come into contact with. They are way softer than the ladyfingers you’d find at a store, so they can hold more liquid to enhance your desserts.

LADYFINGER INGREDIENTS

The best part about this recipe is that there are no special ingredients you need to go hunting for to make this recipe. There are only five ingredients and they are probably already in your pantry if you are a regular baker. ( PHEW! No extra trip to the store necessary.)

Vanilla: For this recipe we are using extract, but you can use a vanilla bean or vanilla paste. I am using vanilla extract from Neilson Massey.

LADYFINGERS STEP BY STEP

1. Preheat your oven to 350º F.
2. Prepare a sheet pan with some parchment paper
3. Place your egg yolks into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on low and sprinkle in your first measurement of sugar. 
4. Once the egg yolks are combined, increase the speed to medium-high. Whip until the mixture triples in volume, is pale in color, and forms a thick ribbon on the surface of the batter when you drizzle it onto itself. This may take about 3-4 minutes.
5. Combine your flour and salt together in a separate bowl.
6. Sift half of the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold it using a spatula.
7. Once your flour and egg mixture is incorporated, sift in the second half of the flour. Continue folding until everything is combined. Set aside.
8. In a separate mixer bowl, add in your egg whites with your whisk attachment.
9. While mixing on medium speed, sprinkle in the second measurement of sugar, then increase the speed to medium-high.
10. Continue whipping until you reach medium-stiff peaks. 
11. Fold ⅓ of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture using a spatula to lighten its density. This might take a few minutes to work all the meringue in but just keep folding. 
12. Then add in the rest of your meringue and continue folding carefully until it's homogeneous. Be careful not to over mix because you will knock out the air inside your batter and your lady fingers will not rise well.
13. Fit a large piping bag fitted with an 806 piping tip then fill it with the batter. ( If you don't have a piping tip you can just cut a decent sized hole in the piping bag.)
14. Pipe your batter in 4” long lines, leaving about 1” of space in between each line.
15. Sift an even layer of powdered sugar over all of the ladyfingers and let it soak in for about 2 minutes. Without the powdered sugar, the fingers don’t rise as much. 
16. Place the tray in a 350” oven for 15-18 minutes. Rotate the tray halfway through baking to ensure even browning. 

1. Remove the ladyfingers from the oven and let them cool.  Once they have cooled gently remove them from the parchment paper to avoid them sticking and tearing later. 

They are now ready to eat!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Homemade Ladyfingers

These are easiest and softest homemade ladyfingers you can make from scratch. They will soak up a lot of moisture, and they are perfect to dip in your coffee or add into your next dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 28 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 86kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• 1 Piping Bag
• 1 Sifter
• 1 Round Piping Tip

Ingredients

• 7 Large Eggs (Separate the yolks and whites)
• 6 ounces Granulated Sugar (Separate 1 ounce of the sugar)
• 7 ounces All Purpose Flour
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1.5 ounces Powdered Sugar (Used for dusting)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
• Place your egg yolks into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on low and sprinkle in your 1 ounce measurement of sugar.
• Once it's combined, increase the speed to medium high and whip until the mixture triples in volume, is pale in color and forms a thick ribbon on the surface of the batter when you drizzle it onto itself. This will take about 3-4 minutes.
• Combine your flour and salt together in a separate bowl.
• Sift half of the flour mixture over the egg mixture and gently fold it using a spatula.
• Once it's incorporated, sift in the second half of the flour and continue folding until everything is combined. Set aside.
• In a separate mixer bowl, add in your egg whites with your whisk attachment.
• While mixing on medium speed, sprinkle in the second measurement of sugar, then increase the speed to medium high. Continue whipping until you reach medium-stiff peaks.
•  Fold ⅓ of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture using a spatula to lighten its density. This might take a few minutes to work all the meringue in but just keep folding. 
• Then add in the rest of your meringue and continue folding carefully until it's homogeneous. Be careful not to over mix because you will knock out the air inside your batter and your lady fingers will not rise well.
• Place your printed templates under parchment paper on 2 sheet pans (one for rounds and one for fingers) 
• Fit a large piping bag fitted with an 806 piping tip then fill it with the batter. ( If you don't have a piping tip you can just cut a decent sized hole in the piping bag).
• Pipe the batter on top of the circle template while holding the tip about ½ away from the pan so that the batter is not too thick. Stop piping about ¼” away from the outline of the circle because the batter will spread.
• Place your 8.5”x11” sheet of paper on top of the baking sheet and place some parchment on top. Pipe your batter in 8” long lines, leaving about ⅛” of space in between each line. You will have leftover batter, I suggest piping extra cookies or another tray of lady fingers as a backup just in case you have gaps (like I did).
• Sift an even layer of powdered sugar over all of the lady fingers and let it soak in for about 2 minutes.
• Without the powdered sugar the fingers don’t rise as much. Place the tray in a 350” oven for 15-18 minutes. Rotate the tray halfway through baking to ensure even browning. 
• Remove the ladyfingers from the oven and let them cool.  Once they have cooled gently remove them from the parchment paper to avoid them sticking and tearing later. 

Video

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start

1. The best investment you can make when you’re getting started with baking is a digital kitchen scale! Weighing your ingredients will help you avoid cake failure. Using a kitchen scale for baking is super easy and gives you the best results every single time. 
2. Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
3. Make sure your ingredients (e.g. butter, eggs, milk) are at room temperature or a little warm. Why? Because we want to create an emulsion and allow the ingredients to fully mix together. 
4. Make sure to dust a generous amount of powder sugar on top of the ladyfingers before and after baking. This helps them puff up nicely. 
5. When piping the ladyfingers on the baking tray, pinch the end of the piping bag when finishing because the batter tends to be runny.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Homemade Ladyfingers appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

BAKED DONUT INGREDIENTS

This recipe is adapted from my white velvet buttermilk cake. The main difference is the mixing, with donuts there is no special method. You will need some food coloring if you plan on coloring your glaze, and white food coloring to make the glaze more opaque. Don't forget the donut pan!

BAKED DONUT RECIPE STEP-BY-STEP 

Step 1 – Place the sugar and melted butter in a large bowl and combine with a whisk until it's smooth.

Step 2 – Add the egg, oil, and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Step 3 – In a separate medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Mix to gently combine.

Step 4 – Add half the dry mixture into the wet mixture, whisk gently until some of the flour remains, then add all the buttermilk, mix a little, and add the rest of the flour.

Mix until just combined, do not over mix. The batter will be very wet and there will be a few lumps.

Step 5 – Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a plastic bag with a corner cut off. (You can also just use a spoon and smooth out the tops.)

Step 6 – Grease the donut tray with cake goop or your favorite pan release, and fill each cavity ½ to ¾ of the way full of batter.

Step 7 – Bake at 450ºF (232ºC) for 7-9 minutes. When the tops are firm and bounce back when you touch them, they're done.

Step 8 – Cool the donuts in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Make sure to not glaze while warm.

For The Glaze

Step 1 – Sift your powdered sugar, this will prevent your glaze from having lumps.

Step 2 – In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and water (or milk) until desired consistency. Add ¼ teaspoon more water at a time until it's as thin as you like. If it becomes too thin, add more powdered sugar. If your glaze has lumps, you can use a hand mixer to smooth it out.

Step 3 – If you want a more opaque glaze, add a few drops of white food coloring to the glaze and divide into bowls. Add your favorite colors and stir.

Step 4 – Place the wire rack of donuts on top of a sheet pan to catch extra glaze drips. Grasp each donut by the sides and dunk into the glaze, letting it drain off for a few seconds. Then flip over and place the donut back onto the wire rack. Top with sprinkles immediately, as the glaze firms up quickly.

Place into a plastic or paper bag and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, they will continue to soften over time.

WHAT KIND OF PAN IS BEST TO USE FOR BAKED DONUTS?

 Any kind of donut pan will work. It can be metal or it can be silicone. I am using a 6-Cavity donut baking pan I got from Target. 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BAKED AND FRIED DONUTS?

The recipes are very similar, but baked donuts much softer than fried donuts. They don't have that crispy outer layer that forms when frying. Baked donuts are also lighter and have more of the same texture as a slice of cake. 

If you liked this donut recipe you'll love my other donut recipes!

Classic Fried Cake Donuts 

Sourdough Discard Donuts

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Baked Donuts Recipe

Light and fluffy baked donuts with a colorful vanilla glaze! What could be more fun! The best part is that they take less than 10 minutes to prepare. The perfect treat for a special occasion or a weekend treat.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Donuts

Calories 313kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• Whisk or hand mixer
• Donut Pan
• Wire cooling rack
• Sheet pan for catching glaze drips

Ingredients

Donuts

• 7 ounces all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 ounces vegetable oil
• 4 ounces buttermilk room temperature
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 3 ounces unsalted butter melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze

• 10 ounces powdered sugar about 2 cups
• 2 Tablespoons water or milk add more water for thinner glaze, more sugar for thicker glaze
• 2 drops white food coloring I use Americolor gel
• 1-2 drops food coloring I use Americolor electric pink and

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

The Donuts

• Preheat your oven to 450ºF (232ºC) and weigh out all of your ingredients, bringing the buttermilk and egg to room temperature.
• Place the sugar and melted butter in a large bowl and combine smooth with a whisk.
• Add the egg, oil and vanilla and whisk until combined.
• In a separate medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Mix to gently combine.
• Add half the dry mixture into the wet mixture, whisk gently until some of the flour remains, then add all the buttermilk, mix a little, and add the rest of the flour. Mix until just combined, do not over mix. The batter will be very wet and there will be a few lumps.
• Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a plastic bag with a corner cut off. (You can also just use a spoon and smooth out the tops.)
• Grease the donut tray with cake goop or your favorite pan release, and fill each cavity ½ to ¾ of the way full of batter.
• Bake at 450ºF (232ºC) for 7-9 minutes. When the tops are firm and bounce back when you touch them, they're done.
• Cool the donuts in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Make sure to not glaze while warm.

The Glaze

• Sift your powdered sugar, this will prevent your glaze from having lumps.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and water (or milk) until desired consistency. Add ¼ teaspoon more water at a time until it's as thin as you like. If it becomes too thin, add more powdered sugar. If your glaze has lumps, you can use a hand mixer to smooth it out.
• If you want a more opaque glaze, add a few drops of white food coloring to the glaze and divide into bowls. Add your favorite colors and stir.
• Place the wire rack of donuts on top of a sheet pan to catch extra glaze drips. Grasp each donut by the sides and dunk into the glaze, letting it drain off for a few seconds. Then flip over and place the donut back onto the wire rack. Top with sprinkles immediately, as the glaze firms up quickly.
• Place into a plastic or paper bag and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, they will continue to soften over time.

Video

Notes

Cake Goop pan release recipe: https://sugargeekshow.com/recipe/cake-goop-recipe/

Important Things To Note Before You Start

1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature or even a little warm (eggs, buttermilk, butter, etc) to ensure your batter does not break or curdle. 

2. Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe. 

3. Practice Mise en Place (everything in it's place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.

All purpose flour is a plain flour with no rising agents. It has a protein level of 10%-12%

Cake flour is a soft, low protein flour of 9% or less. 
Cake flour sources: UK - Shipton Mills Cake & Pastry Flour

Nutrition

Serving: 1donut | Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 140mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Classic Baked Donut Recipe With Colorful Glaze appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

Sourdough Discard

Sourdough discard is what you have leftover after you feed your sourdough starter. There are a ton of great sourdough discard recipes out there like my sourdough pikelets or sourdough pancakes. They are great ways to use up that discard instead of throwing it away. Bonus points, they taste amazing! 

If you have no idea what sourdough starter is, check out my sourdough starter recipe. And while you're at it, try out making my beginner sourdough bread too! 

Sourdough Donut Ingredients

Nothing surprising here for the ingredients except I like to use buttermilk instead of regular milk in my sourdough donut recipe. If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, you can make your own buttermilk substitute. Of course, you will also need one cup of sourdough discard. 

Sourdough Donut Recipe Step-By-Step 

Make sure your eggs, milk, and butter are all room temperature so that the ingredients combine together well. If your eggs or milk are too cold, they will not mix with the butter and your donuts won’t rise properly. 

Step 1 – After you have fed your sourdough starter, save the discard in a separate bowl. You should have about a cup. If you have a little more or less, that's fine. You can make up the difference with buttermilk.

Step 2 – In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes using a hand mixer, or longer if you're using a whisk. 

Step 3 – While mixing on low, add in the eggs one at a time and mix on medium speed until combined. Remember, make sure they are room temp or even a little warm or they won't mix in properly.

Glaze – Simply combine 1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 2 Tablespoons of milk (or water) and whisk until smooth. 

Powdered sugar – You can simply roll your donuts in powdered sugar for truly the simplest way to finish your donuts off.

Cinnamon sugar – Combine 1 cup sugar with 2 teaspoons cinnamon and roll your donuts in the mixture.

WHAT OIL IS BEST FOR FRYING DONUTS?

The best oil to use for deep frying is one that has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. In my research I found the best oils to use are peanut oil or vegetable oil, vegetable shortening, or lard. Here are the pros and cons of each. 

I prefer to use Lard because it is dairy-free, creates a very crisp outer layer on the donuts, and is minimally processed.

Lard – Neutral flavor, dairy-free, higher in saturated fat than Crisco. (See my cake donut recipe for more info.)

Crisco (vegetable shortening) – Neutral flavor but is made of soybean oil, fully hydrogenated palm oil, and other additives including trans fats in small amounts. 

Vegetable oil – least amount of saturated fat, leaves an unpleasant taste on fried foods and in the air.

WHAT POT IS BEST FOR FRYING DONUTS?

The best pot to use is a heavy pot like a dutch oven with high sides or a fry daddy which regulates the temperature for you. Never fill your pot more than half full of oil. You really only need about 2″ of oil to fry sourdough donuts. 

I used to use a FryDaddy as a kid, I feel like everyone growing up in the 80s and 90s had one! They are super inexpensive and make a great place to store the leftover oil after frying. Just pop the lid back on and store it away until the next use. 

WHAT TEMPERATURE IS BEST FOR FRYING DONUTS?

Donuts of all kinds fry best at a temperature between 360ºF-375ºF (182ºC-190ºC). You can save yourself a lot of headaches by using a candy thermometer or infrared heat thermometer to measure the temperature of your oil. 

Remember, the oil temp will drop a few degrees every time you add donuts so don’t overcrowd the pot. 2-3 donuts at a time max for a large stockpot or fry daddy. 

CAN I BAKE THESE DONUTS IN THE OVEN?

No, this sourdough donut recipe will only work with a deep fryer. I tried air frying them during my tests, and they turned out very dry and hard. Typically you can take almost any cake recipe and pipe them into a donut pan to make baked cake donuts. EASY! 

HOW LONG DO SOURDOUGH DONUTS LAST?

You can store your in a ziplock bag at room temperature for up to three days. The outer layer will soften after 24 hours. 

Recipe

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Sourdough Donuts

How to make delicious sourdough donut discard donuts! Super fast, easy, and oh so tasty!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 donuts

Calories 315kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• Frydaddy (or heavy pot like a dutch oven)
• Skimmer or slotted spoon
• Cooling rack
• Sheet pan

Ingredients

• 4 ounces unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 4 ounces granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 8 ounces sourdough starter discard
• 2 ounces buttermilk room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 13 ounces All-Purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 32 ounces lard (or vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil or shortening) for frying

Glaze

• 6 ounces powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk or water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

The donut dough

• After you have fed your sourdough starter, save the discard in a separate bowl. You should have about a cup. If you have a little more or less, that's fine. You can make up the difference with buttermilk.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes using a hand mixer, or longer if you're using a whisk. 
• While mixing on low, add in the eggs one at a time and mix on medium speed until combined. (Remember to make sure they are room temp or even a little warm or they won't mix in properly.)
• While mixing on low, add in the sourdough discard, buttermilk, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg. Mix until just combined. 
• Sprinkle in the flour and combine on low until the dough comes together. It will be sticky. 

Cutting and frying the donuts

• Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press it down with your hand to about 1″ tall. Fold the dough over onto itself 3-4 times until it looks a bit smoother but don’t overwork it or the dough will get tough. 
• Press the dough down to about ½″ thick and dust with a bit of flour. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Now is the perfect time to start heating up your oil. Use a large heavy pot like a dutch oven and 2" of oil. (About 4 cups.) Heat on medium heat until the temperature reaches 360º-375ºF. This should take about 15 minutes. 
• Use a donut cutter or metal ring cutter to cut out the donuts. (Don't forget to cut out the centers.) Try to leave as little space as possible between the donuts. Set the holes aside to fry at the end. Press the leftover scraps together and continue cutting donuts. You should get 10-12 donuts with a 4″ cutter. More if you’re using a smaller cutter. 
• Use a slotted spatula or skimmer to lower the donut into the hot oil. The doughnut will start bubbling a ton at first then settle down as a crispy outer layer develops. Fry for 2 minutes, flip the donut and fry for 1 more minute.
• Remove the donut from the oil with the slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack over a sheet pan. Fry your donut holes at the end for about 1 minute, stirring and pushing them down with your spoon until golden brown. Let your donuts cool before using.

The glaze

• In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 2 Tablespoons of water (or milk) and whisk until smooth. Add more water for a thinner glaze, or more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze. Grasp the sides of each donut and dunk the top into the glaze, or drizzle on the glaze.
• Store your donuts in a plastic or paper bag at room temperature for about 3 days, the crispy outer layer will soften over time.

Video

Notes

Sourdough Discard Donut Notes

1. If you have no idea what sourdough starter is, check out my sourdough starter recipe.
2. If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.
3. Make sure your eggs, buttermilk, and butter are all room temperature so that the ingredients combine together well. If your eggs or milk are too cold, they will not mix with the butter and your donuts won’t rise properly. 
4. Bring the oil to a temperature between 360ºF-375ºF (182ºC-190ºC). You can save yourself a lot of headaches by using a candy thermometer or infrared heat thermometer to measure the temperature of your oil. 
5. I use a FryDaddy to fry my donuts because it regulates the temperature while frying, but you can also use a deep heavy pot with high sides. Make sure to test the temperature of the oil frequently.
6. Don't add too many donuts to the oil. It causes the heat of the oil to drop drastically and could make your donuts oily. Fry 2 or 3 donuts at a time depending on the size of your pot.
7. The best oil to use for deep frying is one that has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. In my research I found the best oils to use are peanut oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, vegetable shortening, or lard. I prefer to use Lard because it is dairy-free, creates a very crisp outer layer on the donuts, and is minimally processed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1donut | Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 4083IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 231mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Sourdough Discard Donuts appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

Let's make some cake donuts together!

What's the difference between a cake donut and a yeast donut?

A cake donut is made from a sweet dough that is leavened with baking powder and a yeast donut is a sweet dough that is made with yeast. The dough is rolled out and then cut with a donut cutter or circular cutter and then fried. Some cake donuts are made with a very loose batter that is then extruded into hot oil to cook or piped into a donut pan and baked. 

Cake donuts are a bit denser than yeast donuts and have the texture of a slice of cake. Yeast donuts tend to be fluffier and lighter than cake donuts but can be greasier (think Krispy Kreme donuts). 

Cake Donut Ingredients

Making cake donuts is very similar to making a cake (not a big surprise there) but the batter is a bit thicker than a typical cake batter. A classic cake donut recipe MUST have nutmeg! Trust me, I forgot the nutmeg the first time around and they didn't taste right at all. Nutmeg is key. 

I like to use buttermilk in my cake donuts because it makes the donuts super tender and adds flavor. If you don't have buttermilk you can make a buttermilk substitute or you can use regular milk and leave out the baking soda. 

You might also be curious about the lard in this recipe so keep reading on to learn about the different types of oil to use. 

Because these donuts are fried, these cake donuts have a super crisp, delicate outer layer and an incredibly soft and delicate center. So drool-worthy. You will need a large stockpot for frying, a slotted spoon or spatula for lifting the donuts, and a cooling rack with a sheet pan for draining the donuts after cooking. 

What kind of oil is best for frying cake donuts?

The best oil to use for deep frying is one that has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. In my research I found the best oils to use are peanut oil or vegetable oil, vegetable shortening, or lard. Here are the pros and cons of each. 

Vegetable oil - least amount of saturated fat, leaves an unpleasant taste on fried foods and in the air

Crisco (vegetable shortening) - Neutral flavor but is made of soybean oil, fully hydrogenated palm oil, and other additives including trans fats in small amounts. 

Lard - Neutral flavor, dairy-free, higher in saturated fat than Crisco. 

Even though lard has been demonized as "unhealthy" due to high amounts of saturated fat, the facts are, butter has 15% more saturated fat than lard. Unlike butter, lard fully drains away from baked goods leaving no water or dairy product behind, resulting in the crispiest baked goodies you've ever had. There's a reason that lard was so popular in baking before marketing made Crisco seem like a healthier alternative. 

By no means should lard be considered healthy but using it to bake special treats now and then is perfectly ok and in my opinion a better alternative than using highly processed, hydrogenated oil that isn't even from vegetables. 

What pot is best for frying cake donuts?

The best pot is the one you have but ideally, a heavy pot with high sides and is going to work best and reduce the risk of burns from splatter. Never fill your pot more than half full of oil. You really only need about 2" of oil to fry cake donuts. 

I use a fry daddy because they are super inexpensive and make a great place to store the leftover oil after frying. Just pop the lid back on and store it away until the next use. 

What temperature is best for frying cake donuts?

You will need 4 cups of oil to fry your donuts. Set your heat to medium and let the oil get hot for 5-10 minutes. I usually start heating my oil after my dough is resting and ready to cut.

Donuts of all kinds fry best at a temperature between 360ºF-375ºF (182ºC-190ºC). You can save yourself a lot of headaches by using a candy thermometer or infrared heat thermometer to measure the temperature of your oil. 

If you don't have a thermometer, you can test your oil by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon or wooden chopstick into the oil. If it starts bubbling right away, it's ready. If it bubbles very violently or you see smoke, your oil is too hot. If it doesn't bubble at all, it's too cold.

If your oil is too hot, your donut will get very very dark on the outside, and remain raw in the center. If your oil is too cold, your donuts will absorb a ton of oil before it develops that outer crispy layer. That crispy layer is vital to stopping more oil from absorbing into the donut so proper temperature is key to a perfect cake donut. 

Remember, the oil temp will drop a few degrees every time you add donuts so don't overcrowd the pot. 2-3 donuts at a time max for a large stockpot or fry daddy. 

Cake donut recipe step-by-step

Make sure your eggs, milk, and butter are all room temperature so that the ingredients combine together well. If your eggs or milk are too cold, they will not mix with the eggs and your donuts won't rise properly. 

Step 1 - Cream the butter and the sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes. 

Step 2 - While mixing on low, add in the eggs and mix on medium speed until combined. 

Step 3 - While mixing on low, add in the milk, vanilla, flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until the dough just comes together. It will be sticky. 

Step 4 - Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press it down with your hand to about 1" tall. Fold the dough over onto itself 3-4 times until it looks a bit smoother but don't overwork it or the dough will get tough. 

Step 5 - Press the dough down to about ½" thick and dust with a bit of flour. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Now is the perfect time to start heating up your oil. Set your temperature to medium if you don't have a fry daddy. 

Step 6 - Use a donut cutter or metal ring cutter to cut out the donuts. (You can also use a cup or a can if you don't have a metal cutter.) Try to leave as little space as possible between the donuts. Set the holes aside to fry at the end. Press the leftover scraps together and continue cutting donuts. You should get 10-12 donuts with a 4" cutter. More if you're using a smaller cutter. 

Why do donuts have holes?

It's important to poke out a hole in the center of a donut to ensure even cooking. If you were to fry a donut without taking out the center, the middle of the donut would be raw because the oil wouldn't be able to penetrate all the way to the center. To avoid it becoming gooey and raw, holes are cut out to promote even frying. 

Step 7 - Use a slotted spatula or skimmer to lower the donut into the hot oil. Do not drop the dough or it could splash up on you and burn you. The doughnut will start bubbling a ton at first then settle down as a crispy outer layer develops.

Step 8 - Fry the donut for 2 minutes on one side then flip over and fry for another 1 minute. Remove the donut from the oil with the slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack over a sheet pan. Fry your donut holes at the end for about 1 minute, stirring and pushing them down with your spoon until golden brown on the outsides. 

Step 9 - You can now roll your donuts in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, glaze with ganache or donut glaze. See the recipes below. 

Donut Toppings

There are SO many things you can use to top your donuts but we're going to keep to the classics here.

Powdered sugar - You can simply roll your donuts in powdered sugar for truly the simplest way to finish your donuts off. Pros: adds just the right amount of sweet and is super easy. Cons: messy and eventually melts with humidity over the course of a day.

Cinnamon sugar - Combine 1 cup sugar with 2 teaspoons cinnamon and roll your donuts in the mixture. Pros: Adds the perfect amount of sweetness plus added flavor from the cinnamon. Cons: can be messy looking. 

Glaze - Simply combine 1 cup sifted powdered sugar with 2 Tablespoons of milk and whisk until smooth. Pros: Looks beautiful, tastes amazing, sets hard. Cons: A lot of glaze runs off the donuts and is kind of a waste. 

Ganache glaze - Melt together ½ cup of good quality chocolate, 2 Tablespoons heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons butter, and 2 teaspoons corn syrup in the microwave for 30 seconds and whisk until smooth.  Pros: Looks absolutely stunning and tastes delicious. Looks amazing with sprinkles. The chocolate sets up but not super hard. Cons: The chocolate can overpower the taste of the donuts. A few more steps to make the glaze. 

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Classic Cake Donut Recipe

A classic fried cake donut recipe that makes the most delicious old fashioned donuts ever! Light and crispy on the outside, tender, moist, and cakey on the inside.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 donuts

Calories 342kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• FryDaddy Deep fryer or heavy pot with thermometer
• Slotted spoon or spatula
• Sheet pan with cooling rack

Ingredients

Cake Donut Recipe

• 4 ounces unsalted butter softened but not melted
• 5 ounces granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 6 ounces buttermilk room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 15 ounces All-Purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 32 ounces lard or oil for frying (4 cups)

Classic Donut Glaze Recipe

• 5 ounces powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk or water

Chocolate Donut Glaze

• 4 ounces chocolate chips
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon corn syrup or glucose/honey
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Cinnamon Sugar

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cinnamon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For The Donuts

• In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle or the whisk attachment, cream the softened butter and the sugar on medium high speed until the mixture is light in color and fluffy.
• While mixing on low, add in one egg, let it mix in and then add in the second egg and mix on medium speed until everything is smooth and combined
• Add in the buttermilk and the vanilla and mix until combined
• While mixing on low, add in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg and mix until the dough is combined. Do not over-mix. The dough will be sticky.
• Lightly flour your work surface and transfer the sticky dough to the floured surface.
• Press the dough down lightly until its about 1" thick.
• Fold the dough over onto itself 3-4 times until the dough is smooth.
• Flatten the dough down to about ½" or use a rolling pin. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes while your oil is heating up.
• Turn on your FryDaddy or begin heating your oil to 360ºF-375ºF (182ºC -190ºC). Set up a draining station for the donuts by placing a cooling rack over a sheet pan to catch the oil.
• Use a donut cutter or ring cutter to cut out the donuts. You can press together the scraps and roll them out again to get as many donuts as you can. Just keep in mind the more you work the dough, the tougher the donuts will get.
• Add the donut to the hot oil using your slotted spoon to lower it gently. Fry the donut for 2 minutes then flip it over and fry it for 1 more minute.
• Fry your donut holes for about 1 minute, stirring and pushing them down with your spoon until golden brown on the outsides. 
• Transfer the dough to a cooling rack over a sheet pan to let the oil drain away from the donut
• Once your donuts are cooked you can roll them in powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, glaze them with donut glaze or chocolate glaze!
• Store donuts in a paper bag at room temperature for up to two days. They are best eaten fresh! Do not refrigerate.

Classic Donut Glaze Recipe

• Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and add the milk (or water). Whisk together to combine, add more powdered sugar to make it thicker or more milk to make it thinner.

Chocolate Donut Glaze

• In a medium sized bowl, add the heavy cream, butter and corn syrup to the chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir together until the chocolate is melted. Microwave for another 15 seconds if needed.

Video

Notes

Common mistakes when making cake donuts

1. Using the wrong pot

Donuts expand much more than you think while frying, so you want to be sure to use a big enough (and tall enough) pot. To avoid a crazy messy kitchen. I like to use a really tall pot or a fry daddy that could hold at least double the oil that I need.

2. Overmixing/undermixing

Cake donuts only need to be mixed until combined, while yeast donuts require much more mixing. Make sure to follow the directions carefully to avoid having a really tough cake donut. 

3. Use a thermometer 

A good thermometer is easy to find at most grocery stores or online and is only about $10-15. Seriously, if you're going to make donuts it's best to just buy one. There are other tricks out there about how to test your oil, but if you're putting the effort in to make donuts you don't want them to be under/over fried. Make sure to continue to test the temperature of your oil before putting in new donuts, as the degree can fluctuate easily. 

4. Frying at too low or high of a temperature

The temperature you fry your donuts at is very important. Fry too low and it will take too long for the donuts to cook, letting the oil seep into the dough and making for soggy donuts. Fry too high and it could burn the sides of the donuts too quickly, resulting in an undercooked center. 

5. Draining your donuts incorrectly

A common misconception is that donuts should be drained directly on paper towels. I recently learned that it's actually best to drain them on a wire rack with a sheet pan underneath to catch the oil. This keeps the donuts from sitting in their own oil on the paper towels, making them extra crispy! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1donut | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 237mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Cake Donut Recipe appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

I was inspired to make these Dr. Seuss themed pancakes for Ezra's 10-month photoshoot! Only two more months of this madness AND we are about to move into a new house (yay!) with a new studio so this might be the last Ezra photo in this house *sniffle* kinda bittersweet. I am excited to be moving into a bigger space for our growing family and business!

Pancake Art Ingredients

As I said, the ingredients to make pancake art are super simple. Your favorite pancake mix, water, and some food coloring. I am using gel food coloring from Americolor which is more vibrant and concentrated than traditional liquid food coloring from the grocery store. You can get gel food coloring from craft stores, cake decorating stores or online. 

Pancake Art Equipment

The most important thing to have equipment-wise is some squeeze bottles. I got mine at Michaels for $2 each. If you don't have squeeze bottles you can use a piping bag with a piping tip or even just a cut hole. Don't cut the hole too big or it will be hard to control the flow of the pancake batter. 

I'm also using a pancake griddle because I wanted to make some really big pancakes but you can use any non-stick pan you have.

Pancake Art Step By Step

Step 1 - How to make the pancake batter the right consistency

Making your pancake batter is really easy. I just measured out about three cups of pancake batter and added roughly 2 ½ - 3 cups of water to the mix (Yes I used cups instead of a scale for once haha). You want the consistency to be like runny ketchup. Mix the batter with a hand-held blender or whisk until no lumps remain. Lumps will clog the squeeze bottle. 

Step 2 - Pancake batter color

The colors you want to use for your pancake batter are up to you. I am going with a Dr. Seuss theme for my pancakes so I used the books as inspiration for my colors. These are the colors I used. 

• Black - ½ cup pancake batter + ½ teaspoon black food gel coloring
• White - ½ cup pancake batter + ½ teaspoon white gel food coloring
• Red - ¼ cup pancake batter + 2 drops electric pink food coloring and 3 drops red food coloring
• Orange - ¼ cup pancake batter + 2 drops electric yellow food coloring and 2 drops orange food coloring
• Lime green - ¼ cup pancake batter + 2  drops electric yellow food coloring and 2 drops mint green food coloring
• Blue - ¼ cup pancake batter + 3 drops electric blue food coloring

Pro-tip - don't be tempted to add too much food coloring or your batter could end up tasting bitter

To mix your colors, just add the pancake batter to your squeeze bottle, then add in the food coloring and mix with a knife or a chopstick until you don't see any swirls of uncolored batter. 

Step 3 - Heating your griddle or pan

Turn your griddle onto the lowest setting. This was 200ºF on mine. If you're using a pan then just set the temperature to low and let it heat up for 5 minutes. 

Step 4 - Drawing the outline

Begin drawing your design. I just used my book as a reference. If you're not artistic then try to keep to simple shapes before you move onto complicated things. Don't squeeze the bottle too hard because the batter is so thin, it comes out really easily. Have fun with it!

Step 5 - Color in the lines

You might notice the black lines are starting to cook and dry out, that's ok! Go ahead and add in your other colors according to your reference photo. Remember the colors you put down first will be visible when you flip the pancake over. If you are writing words, remember you will have to write them backward to be readable after you flip!

Step 6 - Patience

Turn your heat up to 250ºF on your griddle or to medium-low on your stovetop. You will start to see bubbles starting to form on the surface of your pancake and it will start to look dull around the edges. Do not flip your pancake until you don't see any shiny areas and the entire surface looks dull. You should be able to slip your spatula under the pancake and it easily moves around on the surface of the pan. 

Pro-tip - Don't be tempted to turn up the heat! You could burn or discolor your pancake. Low and slow is best. Mine take about 3-4 minutes to cook. 

Step 7 - Flip

Once your pancake is ready to flip, slip that spatula under the pancake, count to three, and flip! Make sure the whole family has gathered around for the big reveal because that is the best part when your artwork is finally revealed!

Step 8 - Enjoy!

These may be art but they are still delicious pancakes and taste delicious with lots of butter and syrup! Yum!

Check out these recipes!

Brown Butter Buttermilk Pancakes
Sourdough Discard Pancakes 
Patterned Roll Cake
Pancake Cake Tutorial 

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Pancake Art Recipe and Tutorial

How to make your own pancake art using pancake mix, food coloring and squeeze bottles! How to get the right consistency, coloring and nail that flip!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cups

Calories 283kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• Griddle or non-stick pan
• One squeeze bottle per color or piping bag
• Butter knife or chopstick for stirring

Ingredients

• 3 cups pancake batter mix any brand
• 2 ½ cups water Add more or less to make the runny ketchup consistency

Instructions

• Add your water to your pancake mix and mix with a handheld mixer to remove the lumps. Add more water if needed until you reach the runny ketchup consistency
• Add your pancake batter to your squeeze bottles using a measuring cup
• Add food coloring (see blog posts for exact colors and amounts) and stir with a knife until no streaks of batter remain
• Heat your griddle to 200ºF (lowest setting) for 10 minutes or set your non-stick pan onto your stovetop and set the temperature to low
• Draw the outline of your design using a reference photo with the black squeeze bottle
• Fill in the outline with the colors of your choice
• Add an outline of color around the pancake if desired (see video)
• Turn the temperature up to 250ºF and continue cooking until the surface of the pancake looks dry and you can slide a spatula under the pancake without it sticking
• Flip your pancake over and cook for one more minute then serve!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cups | Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 666mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 2g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 285mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Pancake Art Recipe And Tutorial appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

When I was growing up, we never had pancakes. We had pikelets. They are very similar to pancakes but not as sweet. More like fried dough. 

I have never liked pancakes. They make me feel bloated and I'm STARVING a few hours later. 

Recently I decided to dive into making sourdough starter so I could make my own fresh bread at home. When making a sourdough starter, I discovered that you end up with a lot of sourdough discard (the part you throw away). 

Not wanting to waste precious flour, I looked up a lot of sourdough discard recipes. 

This one is AMAZING. I couldn't believe how delicious these sourdough pancakes were! Surprisingly, they don't taste like sourdough at all, just fluffy, delicious pancakes. But these do not make you feel bloated.

Probably because sourdough is one of the healthiest types of bread you can eat. As the yeast goes through fermentation, it breaks down gluten, making it easier to digest and minimizing discomfort. 

What Is Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard is the part of the sourdough starter that has been broken down by yeast after it has been fed and discarded. Not sure what sourdough starter is? Check out my sourdough starter recipe. 

Protip - You can save sourdough discard and use it later! Just wrap it up and put it in the fridge for up to two days. Any l longer and it starts to develop too much flavor and can taste bitter. 

Discard recipes are a great way to use up that discard instead of throwing it away! Discard can have a varying degree of flavor to it depending on the sourness of your sourdough starter. 

What Ingredients Do You Need For Sourdough Pancakes? 

All you need are some basic ingredients to make sourdough discard pancakes. Most importantly, you need discard! I usually have about 1 cup of discard but the amount you add is not really important. Think of the discard as "flavoring" for your pancakes. 

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Place your skillet (I like to use a cast-iron skillet for even browning) on the stove and heat it on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. We're shooting for a temp of 300ºF for cooking pancakes.

Protip - Low and slow is better for pancakes to ensure a nice golden brown crust and a soft and fluffy interior. 

Step 2 - Combine all your ingredients in one bowl and mix until combined. No worries if it's lumpy.

Step 3 - Melt a teaspoon of butter in the skillet. Butter adds some delicious crispiness to your pancakes. 

Step 4 - Pour about ½ cup of batter into the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until the edges of the pancake start to look dried out and you can see some holes forming on top. 

Step 5 - Flip your pancake over and cook for another 3 minutes.

Enjoy! I slather mine in more butter but my daughter Avalon prefers hers with cinnamon and sugar. So good!

Relevant Recipes

Sourdough Starter Recipe
Sourdough Bread Recipe
Sourdough Pikelets

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Sourdough Discard Pancake Recipe

How to make light, fluffy, and delicious sourdough pancakes from your discard. These pancakes come together in less than 5 minutes and fly off the griddle in my home! A great way to use your discard and start the day with a delicious breakfast.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8 pancakes

Calories 226kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Ingredients

• 10 ounces all-purpose flour about 2 cups spooned and leveled
• 1 cup sourdough discard more or less is ok
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar
• 14 ounces milk about 1 ¾ cups
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat your skillet over medium-low heat for 15 minutes
• Combine all your ingredients together in a bowl and mix until it's combined. It will be lumpy and thats ok.
• Melt 1 teaspoon of butter in your hot skillet
• Add about ½ cup of your batter into the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until the edges of your pancakes start to look dry and you start seeing holes on top of the pancake
• Flip your pancake and cook for another 3 minutes
• Serve immediately with more melted butter and syrup!

Video

Notes

1. Low and slow is perfect for pancakes. I use a thermometer to check the temp of my skillet. You're shooting for 300ºF or just set your temp to medium-low
2. Do not over-mix your batter or it will become tough. Just mix it until it's cohesive
3. Use your batter right away for the best results 
4. You can save sourdough discard and use it later! Just wrap it up and put it in the fridge for up to two days. Any l longer and it starts to develop too much flavor and can taste bitter. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 468mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Sourdough Discard Pancakes appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

I know people don't care much about family history and recipes but this is truly the first family recipe I have shared here on Sugar Geek Show so darn it, I'm going to share a little bit about why I love pikelets!

I grew up eating pikelets. I had never even had a pancake until I was in my teens. My dad is from New Zealand and if you're from New Zealand, this is your version of the Betty Crocker cookbook.  The Edmonds Cookery Book.  

Everything we made pretty much originated from this book. This is the actual cookbook my Mom and Dad used. I never thought to even ask my Dad if he still had it because he isn't much of a baker or a cook and my Mom has long since passed away. 

I recently invited him over to test out some Sourdough bread I was making. He has a gluten intolerance and I wondered if he could actually eat sourdough bread because I had read that people with an intolerance can actually eat it with no pain. 

Hop on over to my sourdough bread recipe to see how that went!

As I was making the bread, I decided to make some pikelets out of the discard and it brought back all my memories of eating them as a kid. I quickly called my Dad and asked him if he still had that old cookbook and what do you know... he did. 

Now, these sourdough pikelets are not exactly like the ones I had growing up, these are made from discard while the ones I had growing up were made with fresh flour and baking powder. But the texture is almost identical and quite delicious!

Ok, that's my schpeel about pikelets 😀 Thank you for letting me share that with you!

What Is A Pikelet?

A pikelet is similar to a pancake but pancakes are made with a thinner batter and are usually eaten at breakfast. Pikelets are made with a thicker batter and can be eaten at any time of the day.

I often like to add savory ingredients to my pikelets chives, cheese, bacon, or even roasted corn! Mmmmmm so good. 

A pikelet is actually the same thing as crumpet except it is not cooked in a metal ring. Pikelets are commonly referred to as the poor people's crumpet because not everyone could afford a metal ring to bake in! 

What Ingredients Do You Need?

You only need a few ingredients to make easy sourdough pikelets from your discard. I typically have about a cup of discard leftover. If you have more or less, you can adjust these ingredients as needed. 

Most importantly you need baking soda! This reacts with the acidity in the sourdough discard and gives it that rise!

How To Make Pikelets Step-By-Step

Making sourdough discard pikelets could not be easier. Seriously. Mixing ingredients takes less than 5 minutes. All you need is some un-fed sourdough discard!

Step 1 - Preheat your pan for 15 minutes on medium-low heat. 

Protip - The key to perfect pikelets is cooking them low and slow. 

Step 2 - Just add the baking soda, salt, and sugar to the sourdough discard and stir! You will immediately notice that the batter puffs up from the baking soda. 

Step 3 - Add some butter to the pan and let it melt. This makes our pikelets nice and crispy!

Step 4 - The batter will be thick so I like to use my hand to divide it. You can get about three small pikelets from one cup of discard. 

Step 5 - Cook the pikelets for 5 minutes on one side or until the edges are starting to look dry and you can see some holes in the top. 

Step 6 - Flip the pikelet over and cook for another 3 minutes. 

For best results, hide from other family members and devour immediately! 

Related Recipes

How To Make Sourdough Starter
Sourdough Bread Recipe
Sourdough Pancake Recipe

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Sourdough Pikelets

How to make light and fluffy sourdough pikelets from your sourdough discard in less than 5 minutes. Super easy and so delicious!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 minute minute

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 9 minutes minutes

Servings 3 pikelets

Calories 39kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard unfed
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon butter

Instructions

• Pre-heat your pan on medium-low for 15 minutes (surface temp should be around 300ºF)
• Combine all your ingredients together (except the butter) in a bowl. You will notice the mixture get's puffy and bubbly.
• Melt the butter in the hot pan
• I use my hands to divide the batter into three pikelets by pouring the batter into the pan from the bowl and then pinching the dough with my fingers to separate it.
• Cook your pikelets for 5 minutes or until the edges of the pikelets start to look dry and you can see some holes forming on top.
• Flip your pikelet over and cook for another 3 minutes.
• Serve warm and enjoy!

Video

Notes

1. Preheat your pan on medium-low for 15 minutes before cooking your first pikelet
2. You can add in mix-ins like chopped chives, bacon, or cheese! So good!
3. Low and slow is your friend when making pikelets. If it seems like your pan is too hot, then reduce the temperature to low. 
4. You can increase or decrease this recipe for any amount of sourdough discard that you have. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 39kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 410mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 117IU

The post Sourdough Pikelets appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.

Buttermilk pancakes made with brown butter are the most fluffy, flavorful and delicious pancakes you've ever had!

Buttermilk pancakes are my favorite weekend treat. This wasn't always the case. I actually used to hate pancakes. They always made me feel bloated and left an odd floury taste in my mouth. I could never figure out what the big deal was about pancakes. 

That was until one day, my husband Dan decided to make a batch of buttermilk pancakes from scratch using a recipe from Cooks Illustrated.

We love experimenting with recipes from this magazine because they do a lot of testing beforehand and everything we try is always so tasty!

So we ditched the box mix and decided to try our hand at homemade. I don't know why I was SO surprised that they were SO incredibly good! I mean... cakes from scratch are better so why wouldn't it be the same for pancakes?

The outer layer of the pancake was crisp and the inside was light and fluffy but the biggest surprise was the flavor! It didn't just taste like a bunch of flour, it tasted like butter, and buttermilk and had almost a cake flavor to it. I was sold. 

So we've been making these pancakes ever since and have tweaked them a tad to our tastes. We added vanilla and brown butter to the recipe.

This will be my first official breakfast related blog post on Sugar Geek Show. "hey, bakers gotta eat breakfast too right?" So I hope you enjoy these pancakes and let me know if you want to see more breakfast recipes!

How do you make the best buttermilk pancakes?

There are two things you need to make the best buttermilk pancakes you've ever had in your life.

1. Buttermilk (duh)
2. Sour cream 
3. Baking soda AND baking powder
4. Browned butter 

Bet you didn't see that one coming huh? Buttermilk is well-known to make the most amazing pancakes ever but the addition of sour cream adds even more flavor to your pancakes. They are also acidic much like the buttermilk so you get that classic tang. 

No buttermilk? No problem. You can make a buttermilk substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to one cup of regular milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

Once it curdles, you've got yourself some homemade buttermilk. You can also do this with lemon extract if you don't have any vinegar but I don't like the flavor of the lemon in my pancakes. 

We're using baking soda and baking powder in our buttermilk pancake recipe so that we get maximum fluff without having an odd taste from using too much baking soda.

Lastly, you'll need three tablespoons of melted browned butter. Browning butter is really easy and only takes a few minutes but adds a lot of flavor to your pancakes! Simply place 4 tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan and melt on med/high heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture turns a nice hazelnut brown color. Pour into a separate bowl while you prepare your other ingredients to let it cool slightly.

I know browning butter for pancakes sounds like an unnecessary pain but trust me, you won't regret it!

How to make fluffy buttermilk pancakes from scratch

Ok so let's start making these pancakes! First add your flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl and whisk together.

Then combine your buttermilk, sour cream, melted butter, vanilla and eggs into another bowl and whisk lightly to break up those eggs. 

Make a well in the middle of your dry ingredients and add in the liquids. Then with a spatula, gently fold your mixture together until it's combined but still lumpy. DO NOT over-mix your batter and try to make it smooth or you will have some flat, not fluffy pancakes. 

You should see some lumps and a few dry pockets of flour in the batter. 

Let your batter rest for 10 minutes.

How to cook perfect buttermilk pancakes

So let's start heating up our pan. I'm using a cast iron skillet because I like the crispiness that it adds to the outside of the pancake (taste over looks) but if you want your pancakes to have that super even and smooth brown outside like tv pancakes, you'll want to use a non-stick pan. 

Turn your heat up to medium and let it heat for 5 minutes. Add in a pat of butter (or oil) and swirl it around in the pan. Turn your heat down to medium/low. Wipe out any excess with a paper towel. 

Use a ¼ cup scoop to scoop up your batter and place into the center of your hot pan. If it's not perfectly round just use the scoop to push it around to get a better shape.

Now be patient. Wait until you see some bubbles rising to the surface in the middle of the pancake and start to pop. The outer edges of your pancake should also star to look dull and dry instead of sticky and wet. 

Do a little test with your spatula and lift one edge of the pancake. If it looks golden brown, it's time to flip. If it sticks or its very pale, let it cook for longer. Once it's flipped it's mostly cooked and should only have to cook for another minute or two before it's done. 

Don't worry if your first pancake doesn't turn out right. That's typical and usually what we call the "sacrificial pancake". 

You just made buttermilk pancakes from scratch!

Give yourself a big high five! You just made your own buttermilk pancakes from scratch and now you'll never be able to go back to the box mix. 

I like to top my pancakes with a dusting of powdered sugar, a pat of butter and some real maple syrup. Try different toppings like chocolate chips, fruit and whipped cream or even a side of bacon.

These pancakes have become a family tradition in the Marek household and I hope you enjoy them as well!

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Buttermilk Pancakes

Fluffy and flavorful buttermilk pancakes made from scratch! These will be your new weekend tradition. 

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 16 pancakes

Calories 97kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Ingredients

Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

• 10 oz flour two cups
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 16 oz buttermilk two cups
• 2 oz sour cream ¼ cup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoon brown butter cooled
• 1-3 tablespoon butter for frying

Instructions

• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt
• Combine buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla, butter and eggs. Whisk lightly to break up eggs. 
• Make a well in the flour mixture and add in your egg mixture. Fold gently until combined but the batter is still lumpy. Let rest for 10 minutes. 
• Heat a skillet on medium heat for 5 minutes. Melt a tablespoon of butter in the pan and turn the heat down to med/low. 
• Scoop ¼ cup pancake batter and pour into the middle of the pan. Let cook until you see bubbles popping in the center of the pancake and the edges of the pancake look dry and not shiny anymore. Then flip. 
• Cook your pancake for 1-2 minutes more then it's done! Top with powdered sugar, maple syrup and butter! Mmmmm! 

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz | Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 97mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Brown Butter Buttermilk Pancakes appeared first on Sugar Geek Show.