Sweet Dango

I have been hankering to do something different so when I came across this recipe on Just One Cookbook I thought I would give it a go. I changed a few things but if you want to try the orginal recipe as well then just click on the link :D

Ingredients

• 24 Bamboo skewers
• 100g Rice Flour
• 100g Glutinous Rice Flour
• 2 tsp. sugar
• ⅔ cup (150ml) warm water

Sweet Soy Sauce

• 5 Tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Hosin Sauce
• 1 Tsp ground ginger
• 4 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. Arrow Root
• 1 Tbsp. water for dissolving arrow root

1. Combine both flours and sugar in a bowl (I would have added more sugar)
2. Stir in warm water a little bit a time and knead slowly and gently until the dough becomes smooth.
3. Roll the dough in your hands till you have 24 little balls. Gently place dango in the large pot of boiling water. 
4. The Dango will stay on the bottom of the pan for a bit but they will start to float to the surface of the water. Cook dango for 1 minute more. Remove from pot and transfer into ice water. 
5. Drain well and put three pieces into a bamboo skewer. 
6. On the stove top, heat a pan and brush with a little oil and grill on it).
7. For sauce, combine sugar, soy sauce, hosin, ginger and water in a saucepan. Stir occasionally and bring it to a boil. 
8. Once it boils, add the arrow root and water mixture to the sauce and make sure it dissolves well. After the sauce thickens, turn off the heat.
9. Place dango on a plate. Using a brush, coat with sweet soy sauce on dango. 

If you wanted to make different flavour dango, then add powder to the flour stage. I also made green tea ones. Next I would love to try a strong ginger type. 

Super Awesome Doughnuts

I have been trying to perfect the doughnut recipe and I think I have. My partner told me they they taste just like store bought so they are better than just nice.  He is a harsh critic so when he say's things like that I know I have a winner.

These doughnuts are a burst of happiness in your mouth and you can literally use this recipe as base for any type of flavour you want. To date I have made gingerbread doughnuts, mint, basil and sage doughnuts, chocolate doughnuts and cinnamon doughnuts. 

BASE RECIPE:

 

Ingredients:

Doughnuts:

2 tsp yeast

3/4 cup whole milk, warmed

2 1/2 cups of plain flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp butter

1/2 glutenous rice flour 

*If you wanted to make gingerbread doughnuts then add 2-3 tsp ground ginger, depending on how strong you like it.

*For mint, basil and sage doughnuts, infuse the herbs when you warm the milk for about 15 minutes then strain.  

Glaze: (you can use any type of flavouring, like ground cinnamon, not just chocolate,)

2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp chocolate powder (optional)

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

Method:

1) Mix the yeast with the warm milk. Milk should be blood temperature.

2) In your food processor, mixer or bowl combine the flours, butter, salt and sugar till mixture is like breadcrumbs.

3) Beat the egg and add it to the flour mix and whizz for a few seconds.Slowly add the yeasty milk and let the machine knead for about 5 minutes (or knead by hand for 10 minutes) If the dough is too sticky add a little bit more flour but don't over do it. 

4) Oil a bowl placing dough in and cover. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled the size.

5) Take dough out of the bowl and transfer to a lightly floured bench. Punch dough and knead for about 1 minute. Roll dough till it is approx 1.5cm thick. Cut out doughnuts with a cookie cutter and (I used a apple corer to cut out the center of each doughnut. Save the ball and let doughnuts and balls rise till double the thickness. 

6) Heat the oil in a large frying pan or deep fryer till a test piece of bread sizzles. Add four doughnuts at a time, cook till golden brown, being careful to keep an eye on them and turn them. 

7) Drain doughnuts on paper towel. Make the glaze and while still warm, dip the tops of the doughnuts and balls into the glaze and let set. Doughnuts can be stored in an air tight container for up to three days.