Wednesday, October 27, 2010

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.

***

22 comments:

shelley c. said...

Love it!! Love the idea, love how they look, and I am pretty sure I would LOVE LOVE LOVE the way they taste. Really great job!

Kai said...

And they tasted even better than they looked! That's why we love to live 4 houses down from Denise and John. (And their company, of course, and to be able to walk by and see the progress in the Haloween preparations, and ......)

Anonymous said...

Great take on the challenge- they look great

bunkycooks said...

This is it! I am sure...your big break has come at last! Now you can have a showdown with Bobby Flay! I love these!!!

Anonymous said...

Seriously, you should do it. A place that serves fresh donuts HAS to be successful. Even in this economy. I actually read an article recently talking about that despite the economy, donuts are selling very well. No joke. So you have my vote to go for it.

Audax said...

I lived in Calgary for a year and never heard or saw of beaver tails, so your posting is a bit amazing to me, maybe it was me I must for been walking about in a daze LOL LOL. I hope the new venture goes well for you I'm sure in this current economy these would a winner. Good luck! Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.

Unknown said...

OH! These are like the treat we would get at our state fair every year...elephant ears! LOVED them!!!! I really must go back one year just to get one of those. :-) Thanks for the reminder...great job!

Councilwoman, Barbara Denny said...

Denise, you are a Coronado treasure. I enjoy your blog posts. And the Newfie Tongue recipe sounds delicious.

Mary said...

These are so great! I really wanted to make beavertails for this challenge, but I just didn't get around to it. I will have to try and do a full post on them this winter, maybe a side-by-side with the ones you buy at the canal. There's nothing like a beavertail after 7.8km of skating!
:)

Unknown said...

Your post was so creative and entertaining to read! I love how beautiful your doughnuts look. Such a great job on the challenge. :)

Penny said...

I have been wanting to make Beavertails! Your Newfie Tongues look fabulous :)
Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Denise, you have a great business plan here. I've had the pleasure of sampling your scrumptious beaver tails but since this is a dog-friendly island, I think Newfie Tongues is a more appropriate appendage to describe these confections. May I suggest a variety of toppings? - lemon curd, strawberry, chocolate glaze - since Newfie Tongues are rarely dry ...

Anonymous said...

Great idea! What a surprise to find out that you live in California. I thought for sure that you were making a Newfoundland treat. I grew up in Canada and never heard of beaver tails.

Fresh doughnuts are completely irresistible.

Laura said...

Wow! These look really good and I love your post. So creative.

Mayor Casey Tanaka said...

They look delicious! Maybe they could be called cinnamon tails :-)

Medifast Coupons said...

Have had the beaver tails in Ottawa, can't wait to try making your newfie tongues and serving to friends, they are all going to have a good laugh.

Lisa said...

I LOVE, ADORE your newfie tongues! they remind me of sugared apple fritters minus the apples, but even better. What a brilliant idea, Denise, and they look amazing - truly like tongues! Definitely bookmarking these!

Anonymous said...

OH Beavertails! This is a must when heading to Ottawa, we make a special trip to the Market in the summer or to the canal in the winter. I love your Newfie Tongue idea! Great job on the challenge!

Nadia said...

wow, something different.
will try soon.

Chris said...

Hi Denise and John,

My name is Chris and my wife and I live in Powell River, British Columbia. I stumbled across your site a few weeks ago looking for a beaver tail recipe and really liked what I saw. You have some very nice recipes.

The big surprise was that you live in Coronado. I lived in the Coronado Shores with my mother and step father from 1972 to 1976. I graduated from Coronado High class of 75. That was a very memorable time of my life. What a wonderful place!!.. I can't believe there is a skating ring at the DEL !!

My friends and I were big fans of the San Diego Mariners Hockey team of the 70's .

Love your site, and enjoy receiving your recipes. Keep up the great work. Best Wishes

Bunny said...

These are extremely similar to "malasadas", a Portuguese eggy doughed donut that has been made in the Fall River, New Bedford, Mass area for generations by Azorean immigrants. They are bigger, the size of small dinner plates and just incredible. You can them at little stores in New Bedford where an elderly woman, dressed in black, is banging on the dough or pinching out the hunks. They are wonderful.

Olga H said...

My friend just emailed me this, and I love the pics, and your newfs!! We have 2 newfs, live in Phoenix, and can't wait to bring them to SD!! May be we will see you there :)