The New Doughnut Rage: Newfie Tongues!

The October 2010 Daring Bakers' Challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes, including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.

Various doughnut incarnations are popular around the globe. Shapes include rings, balls, and flattened spheres, as well as ear shapes, twists and other forms. BEAVERTAILS® pastries, which have been referred to as a Canadian culinary icon, were my inspiration for this challenge.

According to BEAVERTAILS®, these deliciously addictive, traditional, whole-wheat pastries are stretched by hand to resemble the tail of a beaver, one of Canada’s best-known national symbols. The pastries are then float cooked on high quality canola oil and served piping hot, topped with butter and a choice of delectable flavors.

Source: Neatorama

Skating leisurely through the downtown core of Canada's capital, on Ottawa’s 7.8-km Rideau Canal Skateway, has become synonymous with enjoying BEAVERTAILS pastries.

Source:  Henry Ko, Flickr

“...BeaverTails, a...pastry served hot and sweet, most often topped with cinnamon, sugar and a squeeze of lemon: perfect for the return leg of an end-to-end canal skate.” - Sports Illustrated

Source:  Ottawa Tourism

Coronado, California just so happens to have its own winter ice skating experience, seaside at the Hotel Del Coronado. They have a coffee cart set up by the rink, but I envision There's a Newf in My Soup's rink-side doughnut cabana. I'm positive, after one season by the rink, it would become a permanent fixture year round, for the guests of the hotel, as well as the locals who walk and ride along the boardwalk in the mornings. Even the Navy boys, running by during their morning PT, would stop by for a little sugar lift!


Source:  Hotel Del Coronado

Of course, we'd have to come up with our own name and unique version of BeaverTails-style pastries. Since our Newfs have been referred to as Coronado icons, I'm thinking Newfie Tongues would be quite fitting. I know, it doesn't sound too appetizing, but eating a beaver's tail doesn't either! Stay with me here...I'm on to something big...this could be my ticket out of the law business...

Dooley, seaside at the Hotel Del Coronado, promoting Newfie Tongues 

Come to think of it, we do have connections in high places...the Mayor of Coronado reads this blog, and we've picnicked at Concert in the Park with the GM of the Hotel Del. We might be able to make this happen! Just look at these pillowy soft, fresh, warm, pastries, lightly coated in cinnamon sugar...

Newfie Tongues
Inspired by BeaverTails Pastries
Recipe adapted from various BeaverTails recipes online

1/2 cup warm water
4.5 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 envelopes)
Pinch of granulated sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup warm milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2.5 cups whole wheat flour
2.5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface and your hands
4 cups canola oil for frying
2 cups granulated sugar, tossed with 2 teaspoons cinnamon (reserve in a shallow bowl)

In a large bowl, stir together warm water, yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let stand until it is slightly foamy (about 5 minutes). Add the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, oil and salt. Stir until smooth. Mix in about half of flour and continue stirring, with a wooden spoon, gradually adding the remaining flour until it all has been incorporated.

Flour your hands and turn dough onto a floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes. The dough will be very sticky, but resist the temptation to add more flour. Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover with a clean dish towel.

Let dough sit covered until it rises and doubles (about 45 minutes). Lightly deflate dough and pinch off a piece about the size of a golf ball. Gently form into a ball with your hand. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the small ball of dough into an oval shape, about 2 x 4 inches. Put it onto a lightly floured baking sheet and and cover it with a tea towel while you continue to do the same with remaining dough.

Heat about 4 inches of oil in a deep-fryer (375F/190C)) or Dutch oven. Before placing flattened dough into oil, gently stretch to enlarge the oval (I stretched mine to about 4 x 7 inches), to resemble a Newfie tongue. Carefully slip the dough ovals into oil (one or two at a time). Fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 30 seconds per side. Carefully remove from oil and let drain momentarily on paper towels. While still warm, toss lightly in cinnamon sugar.

This was one of my favorite Daring Bakers' Challenges thus far. You really can't beat fresh, hot doughnuts, especially if they're homemade. Thanks, Lori, for a challenge that allowed variety and creativity!

You can find the doughnut recipes provided for our challenge in the Daring Kitchen Recipe Archive, here, and you can visit some of the other Daring Bakers' blog posts via the Daring Bakers' Blogroll, here.

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