Day twenty eight

[ink_in_hand]

I've been meaning to post this for a while now. Yet first, understand that I'm a book junkie, it's the first stop I'll make in a store (places like goodwill are ideal treasure spots) and I have my own personal library that is easily over four hundred strong. And that's not including the ones still packed away in boxes. And thanks to resale shops I have a small fortune of books that I haven't spent a small fortune on, though since they're rarely them nicely organized one can find the oddest of books one wouldn't find otherwise for lack of looking in certain sections. Normally I avoid cookbooks, but this one was interesting and had this little gem. Haven't tried it yet personally, for lack of certain ingredients, but it's been on my to do list. (and if you've seen my to do list you'll know why I haven't gotten to it yet) The recipe has been pulled word for word from Judith Olney's ENTERTAINMENTS: Twenty Fabulous Culinary Events . Have fun fan-geeking.

Oly Koek (Oil Cake) with Cinnamon Sugar.

1 1/2 envelopes dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 1/3 cups milk, slightly warmed
3 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped dates
1 tablespoon chopped, candied citrus peel
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Peanut oil for frying
Cinnamon sugar

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in water, then stir in the warm milk. Place flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center. Alternately add the milk and eggs, and continue stirring until a very smooth batter forms. Mix in the dates, peel, and lemon zest. Cover the bowl with a towel and set in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours to rise.
Heat oil to 370 degrees. (Test  by dropping in a piece of batter; it should sizzle and bob rapidly back up to the surface.)
Do not stir down the batter. Lift out tablespoon-sized portions of batter onto an oiled spoon and drop them into the oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry for around 5 to 6 minutes or until the cakes are nicely browned on all sides. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper toweling.
When all the cakes are fried, they can be set aside, then reheated slightly in a warming oven before serving.
Place a bowl of cinnamon sugar near the cakes so that guests can dip their fritters in the mixture.

Makes around 30 cakes.

-Three more days and I'll be done with this. I'm glad, as I've become seriously wrung out and artistically depleted in trying to stick to art ideas that I can finish in less than a day. And keeping it up everyday for this length of time.

Comments

[crazedwolf.livejournal.com]

=D =D I'm going to have to try this sometime! Thanks for sharing!

[ink-in-hand.livejournal.com]

You're welcome, I was amazed when I found it and there was no not sharing it with the fandom.

Feel free to pass it around to whomever too.

[eerian_sadow]

hmm... those dates are going to have to be switched out for something else. dried apricot has about the same consistancy...

thanks for sharing the recepie! i'll let you know how it turns out when i manage to try it. (wonder if my food stamps cover yeast...)

[http://users.livejournal.com/__wilderness__/]

I have to say, you probably won't notice the dates... I can't stand them either, but MIL makes a gorgeous sticky toffee pudding with dates and I cannot taste them in it.

[ink-in-hand.livejournal.com]

Ooh, thanks! And would this be appropriate to post on crimson_optics? I know I haven't been participating much at all, I haven't even been able to read the recent entries, and would this work? (can't imagine they wouldn't, it's a necessity for making bread)

[http://users.livejournal.com/__wilderness__/]

I think you've done awesomely well with this challenge. But we don't want you to burn out!

[ink-in-hand.livejournal.com]

Thanks, but last year I didn't miss a day, nor did I start out with artist's block. The number of times I've gone to heslestor in a panic about how I can't think of anything to draw with only a few hours or less to go are more than I care to count. And I've been on the edge of burning out all month. Save for just a couple, each day has been a chore and I'll be glad for it to be done. Still... thanks.