Tempting Traditions

What could be more tempting than a warm homemade donut? Not much.

I distinctively remember being a little girl, no taller than the counter top, looking up at my dad taking fresh donuts out of a pan of fat on Christmas morning. My job was always to shake a brown paper bag of sugar to coat the donuts. We did this every Christmas morning for ages. The tradition faded away with the sale of our childhood home and everyone growing older, starting their own families and traditions. This year my sister is home for the whole week with my niece who is nearly three. My father wanted to bring back the tradition and I was glad to pass along my sugar shaking responsibility.

This recipe is very special as it comes from my father's mother. I have her old recipe boxes and her handwritten recipe cards which you will see in a photo below. I treasure all of the kitchen items that have been passed to me (or stolen by me) from my father's mother and my mother's mother (her recipe coming up soon!).

Cate LOVES to help!

Donut dough is just as good as brownie or cake batter! Cate can vouch!

She did a fabulous job being the sugar shaker. She thought it was hilarious!

The next day (today) we made plain donuts with an orange glaze. While they were delicious I've decided my favorite is the chocolate donut. Very hard being a judge in this competition.

Irene's Chocolate Donuts

Irene Van Den Bossche

Yield: About a dozen

2 eggs

1 c. sugar

3 t. shortening

1 c. sour milk

1 t. soda

1/2 t. salt

3 HEAPING T cocoa

1/2 t. powder

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

3 1/2 c. flour

Beat eggs and add sugar and shortening. Add sour milk. Sift together spices, flour, powder, cocoa, and soda. Add to egg mixture. Add vanilla last. Pour onto floured surface. Flour top of dough and pat down. Cut out donuts and fry in fat at about 350 degrees. SHAKE THAT SUGAR.