In this episode, we explore the catharsis of satisfying a craving and celebrate the doughnut as a bright spot in a weary world. Come with us as we feel the feels and find the joy.
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Feed Your Fire Podcast Episode Transcript:
Hello and welcome to Feed Your Fire, I'm your host, Kim Baker. The reason we do this podcast is to create a common language through food, something that offers brightness and connection. And this week's inspiration came from following a feeling, a craving, and I realized that inner voice was exactly what I needed to listen to. So join me today for a round of donuts, as we talk about feeling the feels and finding the joy.
I read somewhere online that donuts give you a break from the real world. I can get down with that. I had lots of ideas for what we'd make together today, but in the corner of my mind, I kept seeing donuts.
My body wanted them, so I decided to give in to the craving. And the thing about cravings is that they're not really about hunger. They're a signal from our brains, a form of communication that we should take notice of.
Managing our emotions isn't just about putting them in a box and filing them away. Although, I too have been guilty of doing that at times. But what I've come to appreciate is the need to understand these emotions.
To see them, to get to know them, and give them some air to breathe. Just last week, I took my son to a rage room. This was something neither he or I had ever done before.
But I realized there were some experiences he had had that he hadn't had the chance to process. So we geared up in protective suits and headwear, and in a safe, controlled environment, we went to town. We took glasses and bottles and cups and saucers, and we smashed them against the wall. They gave us these bats, and we demolished these computer monitors. And the thing is that even though this is intended to be an experience where you let out rage, what was happening in the room was laughter. It was almost as if giving these emotions the freedom to live didn't just neutralize them, it transformed them.
And right now, we're living in a time where all you have to do is open a newspaper to feel it sensed or in despair. And we're just holding these feelings inside. And though the donut may not be as cathartic as taking a bat to a computer monitor, I think there's something in the experience of giving in to a craving, to a feeling, in a way that's to the good of all and the harm of none.
And interestingly, in my research for today's podcast, what I learned about the donut is pretty impressive. Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme may be how we know the donut today, but the food is kind of a legend. Back in World War I, the Salvation Army sent women abroad to help care for the soldiers. And as part of this work, they made donuts. Thousands of them. And the women became known as Donut Dollies.
The importance of their work was not in just the feeding of the soldiers. They had food. It was from the care and nurturance that the donuts and the donut dollies provided. So I think donuts could kind of be considered a remedy for a weary soul, a bright spot when everything else feels a little dark. And with that idea, I'm dedicating this episode to my sister Corinne, whose nickname happens to be the doughnut. That's a long-standing family tradition.
A couple weeks ago, Josh, her boyfriend, who you've met several times, had to have another brain surgery, and we're all ever grateful that he's recovering so well. But the experience is so deeply saturated in emotion. And so it's with this episode that we're pouring love on the doughnut collectively, exalting it as a source of joy and brightness, even among the most difficult of circumstances.
Today's recipe is an adaptation from a sour cream doughnut recipe on Handle the Heat. People often talk about cake doughnuts or yeast doughnuts. I love a sour cream doughnut.
Aside from the apple fritter, I would say they're one of the best. And what I love about them is the texture. They're kind of crackly on the outside, and that gives this nice texture to the doughnut, and allows the sweet glaze to kind of get into those crevices.
If you've never made doughnuts before, you might think they're difficult, but they really aren't. It's a very simple batter to make with just a few ingredients. For this recipe, we're going to start with two and a half cups of flour, and we're going to combine that with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon and a half of baking powder.
Add in a little sprinkle of nutmeg and set that aside. Nutmeg is what gives doughnuts their doughnutty taste, so you can't skip that. Then in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, add two tablespoons of softened butter and a half a cup of sugar.
Let that cream and combine together. Then add two egg yolks one at a time, reserving the whites for another day. Add a quarter cup of sour cream. Beat that well. Then add half that flour mixture that we set aside. And then I like to add a quarter cup of buttermilk.
If you prefer or it's easier for you, you can substitute that for five tablespoons of sour cream. Add the remaining flour mixture. Let it all combine, and then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about an hour or two.
When you're ready, roll it out onto a surface that's lightly dusted with flour. You'll want the dough to be about a half inch thick. If you have a doughnut cutter, you are ahead of the game. I usually just use the rim of a glass to cut the circles. And I have this rigged system where I use the cap of a sprinkle container that's about one inch in diameter to cut the inner circle of the doughnuts. Those inner circles become munchkins, by the way, which arguably may be better than the whole doughnut.
Transfer your cut doughnuts onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, and then re-roll any of the dough and repeat. Then I like to pop the sheet pan with the cut out doughnuts into the refrigerator so that they're really nice and cold when I put them into the fryer. It makes it easier to handle the dough, and it helps them keep their shape.
So while those are in the fridge, I preheat my fryer. If you're doing this on the stovetop, you'll want like a six or an eight quart stockpot, and you'll want to fill it no more than halfway with a peanut or canola oil, something that could withstand high heat. Let the oil come up to about 375 degrees, and then you'll take the cold dough and place the donuts and the donut holes that you've cut out right into it, putting only a few in at a time.
We're gonna do this in batches. The donuts only need a couple minutes to fry, and you'll see them kind of rise to the top. The bottom of the donut will get golden brown, and then using a tong, you'll carefully turn it over so that both sides cook through.
And once they're done, carefully remove them, placing them on a rack with a sheet pan underneath. Drop in your next few donuts and repeat the process. Once the donuts are all done cooking, we can go ahead and get our glaze started.
In a medium bowl, add a couple cups of powdered sugar. Add just enough water to kind of thin it out into a smooth paste. Then add about a teaspoon of heavy cream and a splash of vanilla. Dip the donuts carefully into the glaze and then turn them over so that both sides are coated. Place them back on to that rack, and so the excess glaze can just drip down without making a big mess. For a little extra fun, I like to sprinkle mine with some rainbow nonpareils.
And that, my friends, is all it takes to make delicious homemade donuts. One of the things I love about donuts for today's episode is that there's a kind of freedom in them. We all know they're not good for us, and maybe we shouldn't eat them. But there's a real pleasure in the enjoyment.
When I was younger, I often lived around the word should. I should do this, I shouldn't do that. I remember a friend once pointing that out to me. In psychology, "should"s are considered a form of cognitive distortion. It's based on something idealized, not something real.
It's got perfectionism written all over it, and it oozes of guilt and shame. And anytime we hear ourselves saying the word should, an alarm needs to go off in our body, helping us identify the misalignment we're having between our thoughts and our heart.
Today, we're serving as your doughnut dolly, offering some respite in a weary world, and offering a safe space to enter however you're feeling, and hoping you leave with a sense of comfort.And to our darling doughnut, you are more than a legend–you're the source of so much joy.
Until our next episode, I say so long. Feed your fire, where food nourishes growth.