D is for Donuts

Donuts are a guilty pleasure for me.  Of course, membership in that quirky club is not terribly exclusive...a healthy dedicated neurosis such as mine lends itself to a broad and varied guilty pleasure repetoire.  Along with donuts (because they are a fried and relatively large snack), some of my other rather ridiculous guilty pleasures include: turning the stove all the way up to High (because it seems excessive),  Diet Coke before noon (because soda is not a breakfast item, of course), reading for more than an hour at a time (because that seems so nonproductive), ordering something other than The Big Salad when we go out to eat (again, because it just seems excessive), and generally taking credit for something good (because it wasn't that hard and I really didn't do it all by myself and because Nik helped...). 

I like to think that one of my motto's is Don't Think So Much but I realize that the simple fact that I have more than one motto is proof enough that, yes...I do think too much.  And isn't that what quirks (or neuroses, if you must) are...cognitive overflow?  Thinking too much about what time it is when I pop open a Diet Coke, or thinking too much about if anyone will notice that I have worn the same shirt for the past 3 Thursdays.  Worrying if my socks are a couple of shades too dark, relative to the pants that I am wearing.  These are not worries that require counseling or pharmeceuticals, fear not...but they have been present on a daily basis. 

I do believe that there probably was a time when my guilty pleasures/quirks/neuroses played a greater role in shaping my daily behavior...a time when these worries/facts crossed the line from being merely a passing thought to actually prompting a behavioral change.  The process worked something like this...Quirk leads to behavior leads to thinking about the quirk and the behavior which leads to worrying about what will happen next time.  And all that takes alot of energy.  I can't talk to you right now, I'm worrying about my socks. 

And if I'm going to worry about soda or socks or any number of seemingly trivial facts of life, why not just go for it and start worrying about what impression you are making or what people are saying about you when you leave a room or worrying if you are doing as good a job as other people, or the fact that the universe is contunually expanding.  Really, soda and socks are entry-level anxieties, there are so many bigger problems to tackle...if you think about it.  Don't.

But I went to culinary school for my 40th birthday.  And it changed my life, truly.  40 years is a long time to worry about socks.  And I'm really not sure why, but as the mixers were turning and the dough was rising, and as I was learning to shape bread and roll croissants, I also learned to let go of so much that got in the way during that first 40 years.  Baking bread is/was/continues to be therapeutic.  It's ancient and basic.  It's tactile.  It's satisfying.  A few simple ingredients, a little manual labor, heat, and you have bread...there's no hiding, no excuses, no faking it...bread is what it is.  If it is good, eat it and enjoy.  If it isn't good, well then we eat it anyway and make it better the next time. 

I think that has become my new motto...If it's good, eat it and enjoy; it if isn't good, eat it anyway and make it better next time. 

Baked Donuts

Yield:  Approx. 2 1/2 dozen
These donuts are baked, rather than fried, making them slightly less of a guilty pleasure.  And the dough is soft and alive and makes sweet little breakfast treats that almost melt if your mouth.  Enjoy them...and don't think so much. 

AP Flour..................................785 grams
Warm Milk...............................361 grams
Active Dry Yeast........................2 1/4 tsp (1 env)
Sugar.....................................64 grams
Salt.......................................16 grams
Eggs......................................106 grams
Cinnamon................................1/4 tsp
Nutmeg...................................3 grams
Softened Butter.........................180 grams
Currants..................................255 grams

Melted Butter............................2 oz
Vanilla Sugar.............................1 1/2 cups

1.  In mixer bowl, rehydrate the yeast in the milk.
2.  Add all the other ingredients except butter and currants.
3.  With paddle, mix on low speed until all ingredients are moistened and dough begins to develop (about 2-3 minutes).
4.  Add the softened butter and mix on medium for additional 4-6 minutes.  Dough will be soft but cohesive. 
5.  Add currants and mix on low until currents are evenly incorporated.  May need to knead a few minutes by hand to thoroughly incorporate the currants.
6.  Round the dough into a ball, place in mixer bowl, cover with plastic and let rise 1 hour.
7.  Preheat oven to 425.  Line sheet pans with parchment or Silpat.
8.  Roll dough to approx 1/2-inch thick.  Cut with donut cutter or with large and small round cookie cutters (I used a 3-inch round).  Lightly knead the scraps together and reroll. 
9.  Place donuts on prepared pans, cover and let rise approx 90 minutes (they will be puffy but not quite doubled in size).

10.  Brush with melted butter before baking.  Bake for 10-12 minutes (Do Not Overbake).

11.  Remove from the oven, brush with melted butter while still hot, and roll lightly in Vanilla sugar.