As fans of the internationally acclaimed television series Downton Abbey are very aware of, the American release of season three is just a few days away and there is really no better way to celebrate than enjoying the food of the era when the show takes place. So as you get ready to venture back into the abbey for another season, settle down with some wonderful authentic Edwardian cuisine.
When it comes to the food of the Edwardian era and the most acclaimed British television show in history, Downton Abbey, most of the attention is on what is served in the elegant dining room. We tend to forget that the "downstairs" staff ate too.This dish was a favorite of the era but only served to the staff of the abbey as it was deemed to be a "commoner" dish. It is a very simple, quick and quite delicious dessert made with nothing more than fried bread dough!
One thing you will notice when preparing Fried Dessert Bread is it will puff up as it is frying. What this does is give the dessert a nice hollow interior while having a crispy crust. Once they are done, you simply dust them with some powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar and enjoy.
If you would like to see a complete how-to slideshow on making Fried Dessert Bread, simply go to the free Facebook page The Food of Downton Abbey.
Ingredients needed to make Fried Dessert Bread (serving amount depends on size):
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbs. sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 2 Tbs. melted butter
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup cold water
- Oil for frying
Steps:
- Place all of the ingredients, except the oil, into a large bowl and stir to form a dough.
- Place the dough on a floured surface and knead 5 minutes.
- Let the dough rest 5 minutes.
- Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/4-inch.
- Using a round cookie-cutter or biscuit-cutter, cut out the dough.
- In a large saute pan, heat a couple of inches of oil (NOT olive oil) to 355 on a deep-fry themrometer.
- Carefully place the dough into the oil and fry until puffy and golden.
- Remove from the oil and place on a wire rack to drain of any excess oil.
- While still warm, dust with powdered sugar and/or cinnamon sugar.
The new cookbook from Chef Larry Edwards is now available from Amazon.com and bookstores worldwide. One of the most anticipated cookbooks of the year, "Edwardian Cooking: Inspired by Downton Abbey's Elegant Meals."
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