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A Portland ritual – Voodoo Doughnuts

Yesterday the spirits called us over to Voodoo Doughnuts in NE Portland. If you’ve ever heard Portland’s motto, “Keep Portland Weird”, Voodoo Doughnuts is doing its best to stay true to the local climate. People are willing to wait in long lines for the hand-made, unique, and famous doughnuts, which the small company says, “come in all shapes and sizes and are full of surprises”.

The three we settled on were the “Voodoo Doll” with a raspberry jelly filling and a pretzel stake, a bacon maple bar, and a French crueller with chocolate icing.

Open 24/7, Voodoo Doughnuts is a must-see if you’re ever in Portland, Oregon. 

Jackson Pollock brownies with mint buttercream frosting Homemade brownies are always delicious, but when you spread homemade buttercream frosting on them you take them to a whole new level. These are really moist and decadent, and almost impossible to ignore if they’re sitting on your kitchen counter. I packaged most of them up and sent them to work with a daughter. This recipe is one I adapted ages ago from The Oregonian newspaper. Brownie ingredients: 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate 1/2 cup butter 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 or 10-inch square aluminum baking pan and set aside. Melt the 2 ounces chocolate and the butter over lowest heat or over hot water.  Take off heat and cool slightly. With a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar, then add the eggs one at a time. Mix until smooth. Add the salt and flour and mix only until you no longer see streaks of flour. Stir in peppermint extract. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let brownies cool completely. Spread frosting over brownies and drizzle with chocolate in a free-form pattern. Cut brownies into bars and serve. Mint buttercream frosting Frosting ingredients: 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature 2 cups powdered sugar 1 tablespoon whipping cream, or more if needed 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract 2 drops green food color, optional With an electric mixer, beat all frosting ingredients together until smooth. Chocolate drizzle: 2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 teaspoon vegetable oil Melt the semi-sweet chocolate and the oil together over low heat or hot water, stirring constantly.  

Jackson Pollock brownies with mint buttercream frosting

Homemade brownies are always delicious, but when you spread homemade buttercream frosting on them you take them to a whole new level. These are really moist and decadent, and almost impossible to ignore if they’re sitting on your kitchen counter. I packaged most of them up and sent them to work with a daughter. This recipe is one I adapted ages ago from The Oregonian newspaper.

Brownie ingredients:

  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 or 10-inch square aluminum baking pan and set aside.

Melt the 2 ounces chocolate and the butter over lowest heat or over hot water.  Take off heat and cool slightly. With a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar, then add the eggs one at a time. Mix until smooth. Add the salt and flour and mix only until you no longer see streaks of flour. Stir in peppermint extract.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let brownies cool completely. Spread frosting over brownies and drizzle with chocolate in a free-form pattern. Cut brownies into bars and serve.

Mint buttercream frosting

Frosting ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon whipping cream, or more if needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 2 drops green food color, optional

With an electric mixer, beat all frosting ingredients together until smooth.

Chocolate drizzle:

  • 2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate and the oil together over low heat or hot water, stirring constantly.  

Smoochie Sunday

Today I made Kiss pies, something I’ve wanted to try for a while. I love the size of them – they remind me of a tiny pastry you might get in Barcelona with your café con leche. These were really good. ::: Pause:::  However, when I make them again (and I will make them again), I’ll make a few changes. I’ll use my own homemade pate briesee (pie crust), rather than packaged pie crusts. Also, I’ll substitute a dark chocolate for the milk, which I’ve never been a big fan of.  Try these! They’re easy and they’re good.

Ingredients:

  • 1 refrigerated pie crust, thawed
  • 14 Hershey Kisses of choice
  • 1 egg white whisked with 1 tablespoon water
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll pie dough onto a lightly floured board. Using a 2 1/2 to 3-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut as many circles out of the dough as you can. Place a kiss in each circle. Fold half of pie dough around top of dough and pinch edge around top of kiss. Now, fold up both sides of remaining dough up to the tip of the kiss, pinching edges.

Brush all kiss pies with egg white wash then sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Bake for 20-28 minutes or until they are golden. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Dust each with powdered sugar and serve.