Out & About #752 | Week #82 Quarantine Update Feat. Pumpkin Donuts + Chartwell Centre

Every Monday kicks off with an underlying tone of dread. Poor quality of sleep persists, as do fatigue-induced headaches and eye-aches. The work is tedious and absolutely miserable, to say in the least, allowing even the briefest of escapes to shine a ray of brilliance down the alleyway of modern-day consulting hell.

​A short-lived power outage contributed some excitement the work week. The dim setting eluded to a sense of tranquility at first, and later panic at seeing the battery percentage on my phone. It was rapidly re-instated though, leaving fears behind in the darkness.

I undertook a hurried Loblaws run with emails firing into existence in my  ̶b̶a̶c̶k̶ pouch pocket, swooping a 6-pack of Ensure into my cart in consideration of the lack of appetite I've been experiencing as of late.
Soy Braised Eggs were crafted once again - this time with the inclusion of cinnamon powder to compensate inadequacy of cinnamon sticks.

Little was I aware that a single E.D. Smith could supply more than enough pumpkin purée for two seasonal recipes (and beyond!). Embarking on a journey to recreate the pillowy, cinnamon sugar-decked delicacies from Downey's, the interweb was perused for a formula that was neither fried nor dense: My heart hankered a sweet airiness, only slightly damp at its surface and dry to touch at its core (no pun intended).

1) Pumpkin Donuts

Several recipes made the shortlist, but given my distinct callowness with both donuts and purée-infused dough, I opted for strict adherence to only one. With yeast as its leavening agent, the dough was formed in my trusty breadmaker, then left to rest before shaping and resting again. The steps were akin to a standard bread recipe; its variance lay within the shaping.

A few of the donut guides mentioned a specific cutter for the high-calorie, Americanized treats, however a combination of two round cookie cutters was used more often than not. I quickly learned that, while metal cookie cutters did a spectacular job of creating clean lines, plastic ones offered a far less desirable result. To fully detach centres, each circular section was twirled within the cutter until its edges dissociated on their own.

​​Revealed in the recipe post were images of gorgeously golden donuts with a hefty cinnamon sugar coating. My own batches were more tan than they were golden and drier than they were moist; despite the thorough, pre-bake brushing of butter, the rings emerged dry to touch and nearly a bit cracked. An additional brushing of butter was required as an adhesive for the specified coating.

​One glance at the generous yield would instantaneously summon intents for distribution. Donuts consumed on the same day were excessively sweet, yet plush and chewy. On the second day, they were graced with a layer of haziness - stickiness from tight enclosure - and an unfortunate plummet in plushness. By the third and fourth days, even the "donut holes" had garnered a sense of rigidity. I was dismayed, to say in the least, especially in consideration of their to-be-gifted status.

2) Pumpkin (Cup)cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Nearly a full container remained of the E.D. Smith can. Thus, I set out in pursuit of Pumpkin Cupcakes. SK was the least likely source of failure, and so I proceeded to adapt/convert her thirteen-year-old formula for scale use.

Amidst the process, the kitchen was overwhelmed with an influx of budget-related inquiries - none of which that could not be resolved with efficient organization and the assistance of AI (ahem, Ok Google). Pumpkin purée was nearly omitted until the flour-folding step, leading to an unwanted denseness and nonuniform air pockets throughout the batter. 

The ingredient list for the cream cheese frosting was mostly maintained, its sole deviations assuming the inclusion of vanilla extract and elimination of unsalted butter (as I am less than fond of buttercream).

When served warm, the cake was quite tasty, as was any sturdy smear of frosting. In the absence of cupcake liners though, a fair chunk of the batter was divided into small cake pans, then sliced Victoria sponge-style and frosted as a naked cake - to the best of my abilities anyway.

​Refrigeration resulted in gradually stiffer slabs of cake, incapable of being salvaged with the passing of time.

​The latter parts of the week were spent conducting errands and tending to general wellness appointments. Often do I declare the weekends to be periods of rest, yet seldom do they proceed as such.

From Terminal 1 to First Markham Place, I proceed with my partially planned endeavours.

Oomomo was browsed for availability of silica gel packs (they were not to be found), and lunch was secured nearby at Bingz Crispy Burger. Despite advance orders allowed via the Snappy platform also used by CoCo, the queue for entry into the eatery rather tragic.

The original intention had resided with a Plum Cold Brew bearing great similarity to the hotpot classic of 酸梅湯. In review of the wait time, a follow-up order for The Signature Crispy Burger was placed.

At its centre was a juicy medley of onions and flavourful, shredded pork, while the buns were crisp and flaky, hovering between a Chapati and a croissant.

​In the meantime, timeless Cantonese classics such as the Pineapple Bun, BBQ Pork Bun, and Sausage Bun were obtained from Patisserie Gateau two doors down.

Our adventures shifted south towards Scarborough as a light drizzle began to descend upon us.
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Embedded within the Chartwell Shopping Centre was a Chinese bakery by the name of Aromaz. Supplementing our previously acquired assortment from Patisserie Gateau were two Whole Wheat Raisin Buns and a Curry Puff, both of which were absolutely scrumptious.

​​From the nearby Taste Casserole Rice, an iced Milk Tea and Red Bean Ice were requested to pair alongside our carby sources of contentment. The menu also entailed a variety of budget-friendly finds. Advertised exclusively in Traditional Chinese, its vastness is not for the faint of heart of the illiterate.

​We excitedly reviewed the course meals pasted before the counter, eventually settling on Four-Course D / 特價四和 (D).

​Its constituents were readied in record time.

• 半隻鹽焗手撕雞/ Shredded Chicken (Half Chicken) was well seasoned and tender, with the noticeable fragrance (and slickness!) of sesame oil.
• 話梅豬手 / Braised Pork Hock with Salted Dried Chinese Plum was gelatinous, supple, and the ideal balance of sweet, tangy, and savoury.
• 金銀蛋扒菜苗 / Preserved Egg with Veggies is a classic restaurant dish that did not fail to make its mark with splendidly salty pieces of the preserved condiment distributed throughout.
• 惠州梅菜扣肉 / Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetable was the undeniable favourite of the quad, for the strips of flesh were not only of a substantial portion, but also boasted uniform marbling and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

Pork & Chive Buns were also spotted on the menu during our wait, and later purchased in frozen form in preparation for days of time-, energy-, and sanity-constraint cooking.