When the temperatures reach over 90 degrees by noon, spending 2-3 hours in the kitchen baking doesn’t really sound like the best way to relax. However, when you’re a baking fiend and just have to get your fix, night baking is the best way to go.
Give yourself at least two to three hours of time before you turn in for the night. That way you can let your dough rest and rise while you rest and rise the next day. (hehe)
This week, I tackled a brioche loaf, some chocolate chip walnut cookies, and doughnuts. I usually bake my doughnuts, but I decided to try my hand at frying doughnuts this time and after finding a decent basic dough recipe, I decided to give it a try.
For the doughnut dough, I used this recipe. It’s a very good basic dough that’s not too sweet. Since I was adding a glaze to my doughnuts, I didn’t want to use a very sugary dough.
The recipe recommends using a frying thermometer to gauge the oil temperature, but since I didn’t have one, I just used some leftover dough to make sure the oil was hot enough.
Baking at night is very relaxing for me, so I recommend finding a podcast or setting your kitchen radio to a station you enjoy, pouring yourself a nice drink and getting to work at your own pace. I listened to S-Town and NPR during my week of night baking.
For my glazes, I made a basic glaze and then just added in melted chocolate chips for the chocolate glaze and maple syrup for the maple glaze.
Basic Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Whisk to combine.
I was feeling fancy, so I dropped a few dashes of orange blossom water into the chocolate glaze and some rose water into the vanilla glaze. For the maple glazed doughnuts, I added some crumbled bacon to the top.
Enjoy!
Mildred Lee Productions 