Reprint from our friend and client Chef Francois de Melogue's blog "Eat Till You Bleed," kind of says it all. Francois is the executive chef of Figue Mediterranean in La Quinta CA. Since Chicago is donut obsessed, we couldn't pass up sharing Francois' delicious Moroccan Donut with Harissa Hot Chocolate #recipe. Beyond fabulous. Perfect for getting out of the winter doldrums.
Originally Posted on Eat Till You Bleed January 10, 2014 by Chef
Francois de Melogue
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| Moroccan Donuts with Harissa Hot Chocolate - recipe and photo by Chef Francois de Melogue |
Who doesn’t love a great
donut? Mmm, those sugary feathery light deep fried puffs rolled in sugar
warming your belly and soul. Donuts are pure magic. They transport
me back to an earlier time when food could cure all that has gone wrong in
life. Donuts, confectionery alchemy at it’s best. Flour, sugar,
butter and eggs transformed into sweet delectable pillows. Donuts, proof
that God does exist. All this donut talk has nearly caused me to short
out my keyboard from the anticipatory drool. I do understand why I am
fat. I love food and quite honestly food loves me.
I won’t kid you, making
these donuts at home will take some skill and patience. Anyone can do it.
Just set aside some time, follow the recipe and prepare to enter Food
Nirvana.
Makes Four Servings:
Moroccan Donuts
1 /2 cup Milk
2 1/2 t. Active dry Yeast
3 cups
All-purpose flour
8 T.
Cold
unsalted Butter, cut into 12 pieces
1/4 cup
Sugar
1 t.
Sweet
Paprika
1 t.
Cinnamon
Pinch
Cayenne
1 t.
Sea
Salt
2 large Eggs
2 large Egg yolks
Heat milk in a small saucepan
until it is just lukewarm. Your body temperature is 98.6 degrees.
If you stick your finger into the milk it should be just slightly warmer then
you. Pour the milk into a small bowl and add yeast. Use a spoon to stir
in 1 cup of the flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until it
is bubbly and slightly risen, about 20 minutes.
In a food processor, combine
the butter, sugar, spices, salt, eggs and egg yolks. Pulse till butter is
finely chopped and equally distributed throughout the mixture.
Add yeast mixture and pulse to
mix. Add 1 cup of the remaining flour and pulse until the mixture is smooth.
Scrape down the bowl. Add the rest of the flour and pulse again until
well-mixed. Let the dough rest in the food processor for 10 minutes.
Weigh out two ounces pieces and
roll into a log shape. Pinch the ends together, put in a warm place on a
parchment paper lined cookie sheet and let rest till it doubles in size.
Deep fry in 350 degree
oil till brown and crispy on both sides. Roll in granulated sugar mixed
with cinnamon. At the restaurant we are lucky to have deep fryers.
At home I use a large heavy gauged pot filled half way with vegetable
oil. I use a deep fryer thermometer to check temperature. Be
careful not to crowd pot with too many donuts because they will cool the oil
and cause the donuts to soak up more fat. Drain donuts on a cookie sheet
lined with paper towels.
Harissa Hot Chocolate
2-1/4 c
Whole Milk
¼
c. Water
4
oz Grated Valrhona bittersweet Chocolate (Manjari)
¼
c. Sugar
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Star Anise
1
t. Harissa, or to taste
Pinch
Saffron
Combine everything, boil, pour
into a mug. Caution this hot chocolate is rich and full of flavor.
Your favorite powdered version will not taste good anymore.
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