just a thought Across The Fence

By Julie Turner-Crawford

As I write this column, I’m suffering from sleep deprivation. Overnight, our weather radio went off seven times to warn of possible dangerous weather. We are in close vicinity to two other counties, and we get alerts for all three. We would barely get back to sleep after an alert when another would come. It’s a sure sign spring is on the way. Growing up, we had a small patch of Hyacinth my mom had planted. Mom wasn’t much on flowers, but she planted a few bulbs, and they continued to come up every spring for decades. The fragrance of the flowers was heavenly. If the breeze blew in just the right direction,

Old Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts

• 2 1/4 C cake flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1/2 C sugar

• 2 Tbsp butter, at room temperature (not melted)

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1/2 C sour cream

• Canola oil for frying

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 3 1/2 C powdered sugar, sifted

• 1 1/2 tsp corn syrup

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/3 C hot water

In a bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. Add the egg yolks and mix until light and thick. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sour cream, ending with the flour. Mix for 30 seconds on low speed or until the dough is smooth but slightly sticky. If the dough is unbearably sticky, add extra flour, one tablespoon at a time. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or until firm. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about ½-inch thickness. Use a doughnut cutter or two differently sized biscuit cutters to cut out as many donuts as possible, dipping the cutters into flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Should make about 12 doughnuts and holes. Refrigerate while you heat the oil so the dough is slightly cold when it fries. Pour 2 inches of canola oil into a heavy-bottomed pot with a deep-fry thermometer attached. Heat to 325 degrees. Fry a few doughnuts at a time, do not overcrowd. Fry on each side about 2 minutes. Let drain on a paper bag to soak up the excess grease.

For the glaze: Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a whisk until smooth. Dip each doughnut into the glaze. Place on a wire rack above a sheet pan to catch excess glaze. Let sit for 20 minutes or until glaze is set.

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