Category : dessert

Zeppoles

For a really fun dessert (and super easy) I’d try Italian Donuts (Zeppoles).
This is a recipe from Giada De Laurentiis (I love to veganize her recipes however this one just happens to be vegan!)
Italian Doughnuts
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Prep Time:15 min
Cook Time:15 min
Level:Easy
Serves:18 doughnuts
Ingredients
1 pound prepared pizza dough
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Olive oil, for deep-frying
Directions
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a floured 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out doughnut rounds. Using a floured 1-inch cookie cutter, cut out a hole in the center of each doughnut. Gather the dough scraps and reroll. Cut out more doughnuts.
Whisk the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl to blend. Set the cinnamon-sugar aside.
Pour equal parts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the doughnuts until they puff but are still pale, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to paper towels to drain. Cool slightly. While the doughnuts are still warm, generously coat each 2 times with the cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.
Alternately, cool the fried doughnuts to room temperature. Stir 3 ounces of milk (dark) chocolate and 1/4 cup of whipping (soy creamer) cream in a heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until the chocolate melts. Set aside until the chocolate sauce comes to room temperature but does not set. Dip 1 side of each doughnut into the chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with finely chopped toasted almonds or crushed espresso beans and set aside until the chocolate is set.

 These are also great if you serve them traditionally in a brown paper bag because they are tradtional street food in Italy and then have chocolate and raspberry dipping sauces on the side.  This is one of my favorite (fun impressive and interactive desserts to make for guest).  It’s easy and who doesn’t love a doughnut…..especially a vegan one!

 

@gomelissago is making these tonight and serving them with a lemon basil sauce! sounds great doesn’t it?

Post #100, Christmas came early part 2, and oh the fire we set

Yay! For our 100th post! It only took forever considering the long period of blogging nothingness there was for almost a year.

Anyways I would just like to briefly note that I have received my Vegan Care Package from Bianca and will be posting a photo and more details tonight or tomorrow.

I also will be posting some photos of the Almond Toffee and Smokey Cheeze Ball I made for my work pot luck holiday party tomorrow. By the way the toffee (my first attempt ever) was fun to make however surprisingly dangerous however considering I almost set the kitchen on fire not once, not twice, but three times as bits of sugar fell to my burner causing a small fire (scary). Luckily my wonderful husband was there to help me juggle the hot sugary mixture and put the fire out with only a small fatality (the toffee burned a little but not all of it.)