Strawberry heart and apple blossom mini doughnuts

So friday was my birthday! Already 25 years old... seems like yesterday that I was just turning 20! Should I bake myself a cake? No, my mom will probably get one for me... but I need something sweet on my birthday! So what if.... a favorite and an innovation were on the way of being created.


I L-O-V-E doughnuts! Specially the ones filled with strawberry jam and covered in powdered sugar. So I had to have them for my birthday and because I love them so much I made them heart shaped.

I also love the combination of apples with cinnamon. The idea blossomed in my head that maybe I can turn this combo into a doughnut. I added half an apple peeled and grated (well strained) to half of the dough, cut them with a flower cookie cutter and filled them with a cinnamon whipped cream.


These little beauties made my day! The strawberry ones are a classic, they never fail you but the apple blossoms, as I call them, were quite a discovery! The taste of apple isn't too overwhelming but the cinnamon in the whipped cream really sets it off and enhances it.

For the doughnuts
1 egg
300 gr flour
15 gr fresh active yeast
100 ml milk, warm
30 gr butter
30 gr sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salf

oil to fry

Disolve the yeast in the warm milk. In the meanwhile, melt the butter and make a well with the flour. In the center, place all the other ingredients including the yeast milk. Combine the ingredients and knead the dough until you form an elastic ball of dough. Sprinkle some flour on it, place it in a bowl and cover it. Place in a draft-free room and let it proof for 2 hours.

Roll the dough to about 1 cm tick and cut out your doughnuts. They can be round or of any shape you want, as long as it's not too complex. This is not a good time to take out that dinosaur cookie cutter! Let the doughnuts proof again, covered, for another hour or so.

In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until a deep-frying thermometer registers 370 degrees. I don't have a thermometer so I test the oil with a little piece of dough. Once dropped in the oil it should sizzle on the sides but not turn brown too quikly. Using a slotted spoon, carefully slip 3-4 doughnuts (depending on their size) into oil. Don't overcrows your saucepan! This will cause the oil temperature to drop and you won't be able to fry right!

Fry until golden, about 40 seconds on each side, and transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Roll in sugar while warm or sprinkle with powedered sugar. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #4 tip with favorite jam, whipped cream, butter cream... go crazy! Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, make a hole in the side of each doughnut. Fit the pastry tip into a hole, pipe about 2 teaspoons of filling into doughnuts.

(I used half of the dough to which I added half an apple, peeled, grated and very very very well strained to make the apple blossoms. You might need a bit more flour for these ones to counterbalance the moisture added by the apples.)

Cinnamon whipped cream
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Combine the whipping cream, the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whip until medium soft peaks form and fill your doughnuts!

Phyllo Apple Strudels and not a great satisfaction

I believe that blogging shouldn't be only to show off you're successes but also to share your not so good baking experiences and discuss about them so you can improve... So here I am...

I had envisioned these amazing mini strudels, hand-pie style, made out of phyllo dough because I had some in my freezer and was fed up of seeing it sitting there. Although the apple filling was delicious, I was really pleased with the aspect of the strudels. The phyllo dough just ended up breaking all over the place and it was just hell to take them off of the baking sheet. But here I think it was my mistake, I think I let them sit too long on the sheet and the juices that came out of them had the time to solidy, gluing the strudels on the sheet. When I tried to take them off a few just totally fell apart, others left their bellies on the sheet... This is how you learn from your mistakes right? I am learning...


Taste wise, it was really really good! Especially dunked into the creme anglaise which is simply and absolutely delicious... it was like a grandma's apple pie and vanilla ice cream all in one!


I divided 6 huge sheets (placed one of top of the other) of phyllo dough into 12 squares to make mini individual portions, using the quantities shown below which are originally meant for one big strudel.

Apple Strudel
(yields big strudel for 8 servings)

4 apples, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup raisins
1 tsp grated lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 sheets phyllo dough
1/2 cup butter, melted (approx)
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs

Finely slice the apple quarters crosswise. Place them in a bowl and toss them with the sugar, the nuts, raisins, lemon juice and cinnamon; set aside for about 30 minutes to allow all the flavors to mingle togather.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a damp tea towel. Cover remaining phyllo with another damp cloth and brush the sheet with some of the butter; sprinkle with 1 tbsp of the bread crumbs.

Layer remaining phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter and sprinkling with remaining bread crumbs.

About 2 inches (5 cm) from one of the long edge of the phyllo, spoon the apple mixture lengthwise down the dough in a 3-inch (8 cm) wide strip, leaving a 2-inch (5 cm) border of pastry at each short end.

Starting at long edge nearest the filling, carefully begin to roll the phyllo over filling, rolling up the strudel jelly roll-style and folding in the edges as you roll.

Roll up firmly but allow a little slack for expansion while it bakes. Carefully place the strudel seam side down on a greased baking sheet and brush it with butter.

Cut 7 slits in the top and bake in 400°F (200°C) oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until crisp and golden. Transfer to rack or serving platter.


Creme anglaise (from Joy of Baking)
(yields about 2 cups)

2 cups light cream or half and half (12%-18% butterfat)
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks

In a stainless steel bowl stir with a wooden spoon, the sugar and yolks until well blended.

In a small saucepan heat the cream and vanilla bean (if using the extract, it will be added at the end) just to the boiling point. Remove from heat and whisk a few tablespoons of the cream into the yolk mixture. Then, gradually add the remaining cream, whisking constantly.

Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and, over medium heat, gently heat the mixture to just below the boiling point. You will notice that steam will begin to appear and the mixture will be slightly thicker than heavy cream. Do not boil or the eggs will curdle. Check to see if it is the right consistency by holding a wooden spoon sideways that is covered with the custard and run your finger along the back of the spoon. If the streak remains without the cream running down through the streak, it is ready.

Immediately remove from the heat and pour through a strainer, scraping up any thickened cream that settles on the bottom of the pan. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the sauce. Stir until seeds separate. For maximum flavor, return the pod to the sauce until serving time. *If you are using pure vanilla extract, instead of the vanilla bean, add it to the cream now.

The creme anglaise can be refrigerated covered with plastic wrap for a couple of days.