The Brooklyn Baker Bakes: It’s Time to Make the Doughnuts

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Kiesha

For a long time now, I’ve wanted to make doughnuts from scratch (and let’s just all agree that it’s doughnuts and not donuts. Doughnut is much more refined). I realize that you don’t actually bake when you make doughnuts, but I feel like they have more in common with cookies and pie than, say, a roast.

I found a fairly simple recipe at Food & Wine Magazine’s web site. The mixing of ingredients and cutting out of doughnuts didn’t faze me at all, but dunking them in 365-degree hot oil sure did.

I have an incredible fear of hot oil. Some people are scared of making caramel, others of baking cheesecake, but for me, it’s screaming hot oil. Visions of spattering oil, tipped over Dutch ovens and life-long scars filled my head. But I proceeded on.

I’m glad I did. These doughnuts turned out amazing. The dough rose beautifully and I threw it in the fridge overnight. I got up at 6 a.m. the next morning, cut the doughnuts out and fried them so I could take them into my co-workers as fresh as possible. Cutting out the doughnuts was as easy as cutting out cookies (thanks to my new doughnut cutter), and once they were cut out, they rose to perfect fluffiness. Then cam the hot oil treatment.

I used a chopstick to transfer the raw doughnuts to the oil and then to take the now-fried doughnuts to a paper-towel lined rack. The first batch of doughnuts came out a little too browned because I couldn’t get the oil to stay at the right temperature. The first doughnuts went into 400 degree oil, and I had to constantly turn the heat off and on while the rest of the doughnuts were frying. But I think for the most part, they turned out okay.

I topped about half the doughnuts with this vanilla glaze and the other half with this dark chocolate glaze and sprinkles.

Look how cute they turned out!

Now that I’ve made these, I have to say that I have no idea why I was so afraid to make them! I think I might have gotten spattered once by the oil (probably when it was heated way too high), and once I got to the doughnut cutting phase, it only took about an hour and fifteen minutes to go from raw dough to fully decorated donuts.

My husband and I got to eat a couple of the warm doughnuts in the morning and I took the rest to my co-workers, who devoured them. One of my baking friends back in Ohio said that the only thing you really need to procure friends are baked goods and I’m inclined to agree. My co-workers never love me more than when I bring them desserts.

Awesome cupcake designs from around the Internet

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Kiesha

One of my co-workers stumbled on this web page today and immediately called me over to have a look. The “Hello, Cupcake!” book has nothing on these bakers.

This one is my favorite:

But I want these at my next birthday:

(But with purple masks of course. Donatello all the way.)

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Kiesha

So my pal Jennifer Prochilo is an awesome vegan chief/baker. She keeps a blog called Good Good Things, where you can read about her vegan goodies and her daughter.

This Saturday, vegans around the world will unite to host bake sales, and I’ve volunteered the only vegan cupcakes I’ve made of which I am super proud: Vegan Root Beer Float Cupcakes.

You can stop by and sample my wares and those of about 20 other bakers. The event will be held this Saturday, May 1 in front of Go Lightly Eco Store at 4 S. Fullerton Ave in Montclair, New Jersey. All the proceeds from the sale will benefit For The Animals Sanctuary and PAWPAC.

Washington, D.C. Cupcake Tour

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Kiesha

About two weeks ago, my husband and I packed a bag and jumped on the Bolt Bus to Washington, D.C. for a long weekend. We went to a couple of museums and spent six hours walking the Mall, stopping at the major monuments for photo opportunities. At one point, President Obama himself flew right over our heads in his helicopter heading for the White House (we didn’t actually see him in the helicopter, but he was just coming back from somewhere that day, and his helicopter was flanked by two other helicopters, so we’ll just keep telling ourselves it was really him).

Before we left, I gathered up a list of bakeries that I wanted to check out. Our days were so packed that I only got to hit one of the bakeries on my list, but two other cupcakes fell into my lap without me trying at all. Continue reading →

The Brooklyn Baker’s new logo (and the awesome artist behind it)

Posted on April 14, 2010 by Kiesha

If you’ve checked out the website in the last two days, you may have noticed that shiny pretty new banner at the top of the page. It’s the Brooklyn Bridge made out of baking utensils. And I love it.

This logo was created for me by Clint Reno, one of the best poster artists and friends a person could know. Clint has worked with my husband over at Donewaiting.com to create website art, posters and even some album artwork for a few CDs we put out on Sunken Treasure Records.

Clint has designed posters for such bands as The Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie, Franz Ferdinand and my favorite (active) band, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists:

(If you look verrrrry closely at that one, you’ll note that one of the buildings is ‘Jenkins’ Pub’.)

He has also done a lot of work with my all-time favorite (now inactive) band, Miranda Sound:

Clint also designs awesome posters for The North Market, an incredible collection of food stands and shops in Columbus, Ohio: Continue reading →

Buddy vs. Duff: Which reality baker rules?

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Kiesha

Back when “Aces of Cakes” first started on Food Network, I was all over it. It was one of the first reality shows that focused on baking, and I was always impressed with the level of craftsmanship that went into the products made at Charm City Cakes.

But sometimes, I would get annoyed with the people on the show. I’ll always have a soft spot for Geoff, but Mary Alice and especially Duff would start to grate on my nerves. Especially when Duff would make some stupid comment and then laugh his crazy laugh. My husband likes to say that Duff loves stating the obvious to the camera; “The thing about cake is that kids love it!”

duff doof

So imagine my delight when “Cake Boss” debuted on TLC. The tendency of TLC to rip off other network’s successful shows aside, “Cake Boss” is totally more my speed. An old-school bakery in old school Hoboken, New Jersey, with a boss who seems super fun, but also ready to beat his employees if they mess something up. And yeah, Buddy can be really goofy sometimes, but his staff is so much more real and serious about their work than the staff at Charm City Cakes.

cake boss

We’ve been in Brooklyn for seven months now and we still haven’t made it out to Hoboken to try some goodies from Carlo’s. And unfortunately, we’ll be in Washington, D.C. when the annual Cannoli Day happens Friday, April 9.

From @CakeBossBuddy on Twitter:

Canolli Day is back – but a little different – this Fri we’re doing Cupcake Day – starts at noon for the first 2000 people! Come on by!!

What do you think? Do you love the BFF vibe in Baltimore or the family teasing and torment in Hoboken?

Bakery Review: Almondine (Park Slope)

Posted on April 6, 2010 by Kiesha

Almondine Bakery
Park Slope Location
442 9th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 832-4607

Almondine Bakery is a small, cozy bakery in the style of a classic French patisserie. It’s nestled under a row of traditional Brooklyn brownstones, with French doors that open up to busy 9th Street.

The bakery case features an array of ever-changing pastries, cookies, cakes and tortes that can include anything from macaroons to apple tarts to decadent mousses. On a previous visit, I had one of those apple tarts, which was a lightly sweetened four-bite pastry that let the apple flavor shine.

On this visit, I decided to go for something chocolately, and what could be more chock-a-block with chocolate than Chocolate Mousse?

The mousse itself was rich and creamy, its small size belying its impact on the tongue. It was the sort of pure, unadulterated chocolate that makes a person instantly happier. The mousse was, however, hidden under a layer of chocolate shavings that, upon first bite, were delicious and fun to eat, each twig melting as soon as it hit the mouth, but after the third or fourth bite, became tiresome and annoying. I wanted the mousse, but had to make my way through the forest of shavings to get to it. I feel that two bites of chocolate shavings would have gotten the point across, been fun to eat and would have served as a beautiful garnish. Four bites were just too much.

My husband also decided to go the chocolate route and got himself a large chocolate macaroon.

The bite I had was the epitome of French macaroon, the almond flavoring ever so subtly present, but the chocolate flavor taking center stage. My husband proclaimed it to be “delicious and filling”.

Almondine also features fresh baked breads, which seem to be ever popular, as well as Chocolate Chip Cookies which I’ve never seen, but have heard many rumors about. Both times I’ve been to Almondine, the cookies have been long gone, so I hope someday to taste them and see what all the fuss is about!

The Park Slope location is Almondine’s second, the first can be found on Water Street in DUMBO.