Grilled Cheese Donut

Happy National Grilled Cheese Day!

Today I'm sharing a sight to behold.  It's no ordinary grilled cheese.  It's an entree...no...it's a dessert.  It's a grilled cheese DONUT!

Instead of bread, the cheddar cheese is sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  It's sweet, it's savory, it's one of the most amazing inventions ever.  I like to use Krispy Kremes because they have the softest and fluffiest melt-in-your-mouth texture but any yeasted glazed doughnut will work.  I'll admit I was pretty grossed out when I realized I was buttering a glazed doughnut but how else are you supposed to get that signature grilled bread texture?

The credit for the concept goes to Tom+Chee, a local Cincinnati joint that specializes in a menu of just grilled cheese and tomato soup!  It's now nationally known after being featured on Man v. Food and Amazing Eats.

What's your favorite grilled cheese?

Also, have you entered my 4th blogiversary giveaway?  4 prizes at stake and the rafflecopter ends soon!

Two Years Ago: Banana Split Cupcakes and Chinese Steamed Fish
Three Years Ago: Blueberry Citrus Cake
Four Years Ago: Crockpot Turkey and Cake Balls (Truffles)

Grilled Cheese Donut

 
Ingredients

• Glazed doughnut (I prefer Krispy Kreme brand)
• Unsalted butter
• Sliced sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet or griddle on the stove.
2. Cut doughnut in half and lightly butter each side on the non-glazed surface.  Place one doughnut half butter side down then top with a slice of cheese (on the glazed side) and then sprinkle with a crank of freshly ground sea salt (a small pink of regular salt will also work).  Place the other doughnut half on top.  The buttered sides should both be facing outward.
3. Grill on heated skillet or griddle. Flipping and removing when desired doneness is achieved and cheese is melted.
4. Enjoy hot!

Source: Inspired by Tom + Chee

Recipe Swap: Cinnamon Sugar Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts

Who likes pumpkin?  I'm pretty sure it's everyone's favorite Fall treat!  And though Spring is my personal favorite season, there's something very charming about Fall as well.  Pumpkin, Apples, Spices, and Cider are just a few of my favorite flavors from this season.

For this edition of Blogger's Choice What's Cooking Recipe Swap, I received the blog So Tasty, So Yummy again!  Last time I got Katie's blog, I made Oven Baked Sriracha Chicken.  This time, I went seasonal and sweet...but still quite healthy!

I've only used my doughnut pan a few times and I'm realizing just now that this is actually the first baked doughnut that has made it to my blog.  Baked doughnuts rock because they're a real treat without much real guilt.  Sure they're not *exactly* the same as their fried counterpart but flavor for your calories is a nice balance.  These doughnuts were quite moist (love how pumpkin has that effect on baked goods!) and deliciously spiced.  While I enjoy cinnamon sugar dusted doughnuts, I hate the mess they make.  I always find myself eating them while standing over a sink or trash can to catch my mess!  Anyone else do this??  After I made them, I thought how wonderful they'd also be with something like a maple icing glaze or frosting.  Oh my!

One Year Ago: Coconut Basil Curry with Basil and Pecans
Three Years Ago: Christine's Fried Rice

Cinnamon Sugar Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts

Yields: 2 dozen mini- or 1 dozen full-sized doughnuts

Ingredients

For the Doughnuts

• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 6 Tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour

For Finishing

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease two mini doughnut pans or two regular sized doughnut pans using cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, milk, pumpkin, sugar, applesauce, brown sugar (sift if clumpy), and melted butter.  Sift in the dry ingredients (baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt, and flours).  Mix until just combined.
3. Spoon batter into a plastic bag and snip off the corner then pipe into the wells of the prepared doughnut pan.  Alternatively, spoon batter directly into the pan, about half full.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they gently spring back when touched.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully using a butter knife to remove doughnuts from the pan.
5. Combine the powdered sugar and cinnamon in a ziplock bag.  Seal and toss to coat.  
6. Transfer several cooled doughnuts at a time into the bag with the cinnamon sugar and shake until thoroughly coated.  Repeat with remaining doughnuts.

Source: So Tasty, So Yummy

Apple Cider Beignets with Butter-Rum Caramel Sauce

I can't believe it's already been over a week since Emily and I had our apple baking extravaganza.  As promised, I'll be continuing to share the recipes EVERY DAY this week.  That's two bonus posts for the week...not to mention more of Emily's drool worthy pictures.  You should be excited!

It has always been an inside joke...and probably desire...of the folks in my Dinner Club to do a fried theme.  So, Emily and I figured we should bust out her Fry Daddy and make sure we had a fried recipe in our repertoire to make in their honor.  Since we tagged teamed the recipe list and I was *still* working on those oh-so-time-consuming Apple Pie Cookies, this recipe was all Emily.

On the outside, these look like simple donuts but on the inside, there's actually an entire apple slice to offset the unhealthiness ;).  This recipe also uses sparkling apple cider instead of sugar to give them just a touch of sweetness.  Personally, I was craving more sweetness so I'd either dust it with more powdered sugar, douse it in more of that yummy butter-rum caramel sauce, or go ahead and add some regular sugar to the batter...or maybe all of the above.  Haha!

Next up tomorrow?  Something that will keep long after everything else was gobbled up.  Any guesses?  

Apple Cider Beignets with Butter-Rum Caramel Sauce

Photo Credit: My friend Emily

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cups water
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

For the Beignets

• About 8 cups vegetable oil, divided
• 2 Golden Delicious apples
• 1 3/4 cups self-rising cake flour*, divided
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup sparkling apple cider
• Confectioner's sugar for dusting

*If you can’t find self-rising cake flour, you can substitute self-rising all-purpose. Use 1 cup in the batter and 1/2 cup for dredging. Increase cider to 1 cup and follow recipe as directed.

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Directions

1. Make the Sauce: Heat sugar in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring with a fork to heat sugar evenly, until it starts to melt, then stop stirring and cook, swirling skillet occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until it is dark amber. Stir in butter, water, rum, vinegar, and a pinch of salt (caramel will harden and steam vigorously) and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel has dissolved. Add cream and bring to a boil, stirring, then remove from heat. Cool to warm. 
2. Make the Beignets: If you have a deep-fryer, use that and heat the oil to 375F.  Otherwise, preheat oven to 250°F with rack in middle. Set a cooling rack in a large shallow baking pan. Heat 2 inches oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat to 375°F.
3. Meanwhile, peel apples and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut out core with cutter, then pat apple rings dry. 
4. Put 1 1/4 cups flour in a large shallow bowl and make a well in center. Beat egg in a small bowl with a fork, then stir in cider and 1 tablespoon oil and pour into well. Stir with fork until a lumpy batter forms.
5. Working in batches of 3 or 4, dredge apple rings in remaining 1/2 cup flour, shaking off excess, then dip in batter to coat, letting excess drip off, and fry, gently turning over once with a slotted spoon, until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes total per batch. Transfer to rack and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 375°F between batches.  
6. Just before serving, dust warm beignets with confectioners sugar. Stir sauce, then serve on the side.

Make-ahead Notes: 

• Sauce can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Warm before serving.
• Beignets are best freshly made but can be fried 2 hours ahead and kept, loosely covered, at room temperature. Reheat beignets (they should not touch) on a rack set in a large shallow baking pan, uncovered, in a 325°F oven until hot, 15 to 20 minutes.

Source: Gourmet