A donut, a cup of coffee, and a fun cozy mystery. The perfect trifecta for a delightful morning. Survival of the Fritters is the first book in a new series. Included with the mystery are several recipes. I chose the chocolate donut for this blog as it is as classic as the cozy mystery genre is a good read.
This is book #1 in a new cozy mystery series. Emily and her father-in-law run the best donut shop in Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. A group of retirees come into the donut shop everyday to knit, visit and enjoy donuts. A mystery begins when one regular does not show up on the same day that her good friend has moved back to town. Coffee, Donuts, Cops, Danger, and One Curious Cat (from author’s website).
Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton
Fudge Donuts with Fudge Drizzle
from a cozy mystery:
Survival of the Fritters
by Ginger Bolton
Book Outline and Tone:
Get ready for donuts, intrigue, friends, murder, family, and potential love. This first book in the Deputy Donut Mystery Series brings it all. Main Character, Emily, is a widow who runs a donut shop with her father-in-law in small town Fallingbrook, Wisconsin. The most outstanding character trait for Emily is a good friend. She is not only a successful business woman, but also a good friend to her regulars. When one of the regular Knitpickers (a group of ladies that come in every morning to knit, nosh and talk) does not show up, Emily goes to her home to make sure her elderly friend is alright. What she finds is her friend’s body surrounded by some of her donuts and a doll shoved in her mouth.
Emily befriends Lois who has just moved back to town and the two of them try to solve the mystery of who killed their friend Georgia. Author Ginger Bolton brings in many plausible characters and I was sure I knew who was guilty until they weren’t. This first book sets up the series to see ways that Emily will surely grow as a character. While she is a widow, there is already a potential love interest. Her background as a 911 operator brings connections with law enforcement and experience with tragedies.
The Best Quote:
“None of our customers could possibly be wrong.” This shows Emily’s faith and friendship with her regulars.
Point of View:
The novel is told in third person through the perspective of main character Emily Westhill.
The Author: Ginger Bolton
There are 10 books in the Deputy Donut Mystery Series and author Ginger Bolton’s website lets the reader know that book #11 is on its way! Her website says that Ms. Bolton lives in a rural area and much like her characters, she is fond of coffee, donuts, and lingering in coffee shops to chat. She also wrote the Threadville cozy mystery series under the pseudonym Janet Bolin. Her goal for writing is to make her readers laugh, cry, and “have as much fun reading her books as she has writing them.” She is active on Facebook and Instagram. She has also been known to answer fan’s questions on Goodreads.
What is not to like?:
The only thing I was disappointed in was that several donuts were mentioned that recipes were not included for. As good as the Fudge Donuts are, I am sure author Ginger Bolton will have other delicious donuts as the series continues.
The verdict:
A fun, well written mystery that makes me excited to continue to read this series. I am so happy I came across this new series.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Fudge Donuts with Fudge Drizzle
Assemble the Ingredients
Prepare dough
Sift flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder together.
Place beaten egg, milk, sugar, and melted butter into a large bowl.
Stir in the mixture of flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder.
Flours vary. If dough is too wet and sticky to form a ball, stir in flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too dry, stir in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Mine was very dry and a touch of milk allowed it to form a ball.
Form into a ball. Optional: wrap and chill.
Use a pastry mat that has been sprinkled with cocoa powder (flour will make these chocolate donuts white).
Silicone Pastry Mat for Rolling Dough 16" x 24", Red LINK
Roll dough to ½ inch thick. I used these great rings added to my rolling pin so I could roll the dough to an even thickness.
Easy to roll dough to desired thickness.
Cut out with a donut cutter and let cut donuts rest for 5 minutes.
Heat fryer to 360 degrees.
Place donuts, a few at a time, into hot oil. Fry for about 1 minute. Turn and fry for about 1 minute longer. Drain on paper towels.
OR do as I did and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 7 minutes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
When cool, decorate with fudge drizzle.
Fudge Drizzle Assemble the Ingredients
Bring cream, corn syrup, sugar,
cocoa, and half of chocolate to a boil in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until chocolate is melted.
Reduce heat and cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Reduce heat again.
Add butter and stir until butter melts, then remove from heat.
Add remaining chocolate and stir until smooth. Add vanilla and stir until blended.
This can be made in advance and warmed (careful not to overheat or burn it) in the microwave oven until it’s warm enough to drizzle.
Fudge Donuts with Fudge Drizzle
Ingredients
Fudge Donut
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup unsweetened Dutch process (alkalized) cocoa powder
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- If frying: Vegetable oil with a smoke point of 400 degrees or higher, or follow your deep fryer manufacturer's instructions. Or you can bake them as I did.
Fudge Drizzle
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- ⅓ cup turbinado sugar (sugar in t e raw)
- ½ cup unsweetened Dutch process (alkalized) cocoa powder
- 4 oz. high-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Fudge Donut
- Sift flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder together.
- Place beaten egg, milk, sugar, and melted butter into a large bowl.
- Stir in the mixture of flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder.
- Flours vary. If dough is too wet and sticky to form a ball, stir in flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it is too dry, stir in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Form into a ball. Optional: wrap and chill.
- Roll dough to ½ inch thick.
- Cut out with a donut cutter and let cut donuts rest for 5 minutes.
- Heat fryer to 360 degrees.
- Place donuts, a few at a time, into hot oil. Fry for about 1 minute. Turn and fry for about 1 minute longer. Drain on paper towels.
- OR bake at 350 degrees for approximately 7 minutes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
Fudge Drizzle
- Bring cream, corn syrup, sugar, cocoa, and half of chocolate to a boil in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until chocolate is melted.
- Reduce heat and cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat again. Add butter and stir until butter melts, then remove from heat
- Add remaining chocolate and stir until smooth. Add vanilla and stir until blended.
- This can be made in advance and warmed (careful not to overheat or burn it) in the microwave oven until it's warm enough to drizzle.
- When donuts are cool, decorate with fudge drizzle.
What would I do differently next time?
I baked the donuts and I thought they were a little heavy, next time I would try frying them.
Find more yummy breakfast ideas here:
Double Blueberry Pancakes from Fatal Reservations by Lucy Burdette
Orange Scones from Nacho Average Murder by Maddie Day
Apple Bacon Egg Bake from Death of a Bacon Heiress by Lee Hollis
Eggnog Oatmeal and Eggless Nog from Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse by Maddie Day
Fried Apples from Death Over Easy by Maddie Day
