doughnut Archives - My Capital Plate

Salted Caramel Baked Doughnuts #SweetenYourSummer

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on December 8, 2015

A little while ago I was approached to by Equal to create a recipe using their product. And, while artificial sweeteners may not be everyone’s cup of tea, you can’t really go wrong when the end product involves both doughnuts and salted caramel!

In fact, my recipe is now included in their free #SweetenYourSummer e-Cookbook, which is a tad exciting too.

You can download a copy of the free cookbook here: https://www.equalchoice.com.au/sweetenyoursummer/

What about you? What is your favourite doughnut ‘flavour’?

Homemade jam doughnuts

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on December 19, 2014 | 2 Comments

There are some homemade dishes that you are very proud of. Perhaps not because they turned out perfectly, but because you conquered something new, and the end result was edible. Delicious edible. Rustic , yes. Delicious rustic. These homemade jam doughnuts were just that. Inspired by some gorgeous jam gifted from Hanks Jam – and a craving for sugary warm doughnuts. The only problem being that I have never made jam doughnuts from scratch before. So what’s the deal with Hank’s Jam anyway? I had seen some at my local IGA – but was intrigued to find out…

“Hank’s, Sydney’s favourite gourmet jam, celebrates 21 years of business this year, after starting in a small kitchen near Bronte. Hank, a young chef, started making jams part time to earn some extra cash to support his love of surfing. Soon the demand and reputation of these beautifully crafted jams spread and cafes all over Sydney were demanding Hank’s Jam. After making its mark on Sydney, Hank’s continues to grow and will now be available in IGAs nationwide for all of Australia to enjoy.”

Not to mention – they tasty pretty damn good! One fine weekend afternoon, not all that long ago, I got to work. Dough was made, proved, then rolled and shaped. And with no circle cutter in sight, it was only appropriate that I used the top of my own jam jar instead! Left to rise… Then into my trusty – albeit wonky – deep fryer…. And somehow doughnuts sprung to life! Time for the fun part! I rolled the doughnuts in a mixture of caster sugar and cinnamon while they were still warm – and piped a generous amount of the mixed berry jam inside. And, my friends, I could not have been happier with the result! Sure, they were a little rustic, but the dough was light and fluffy – with just the right amount of sugary sweetness. Instantly I was reminded of the big bag of warm jam doughnuts we used to pick up from a roadside vendor when travelling to the beach for our family holiday as a child…. They were most delicious when eaten while warm – and we wasted no time in indulging. Next time I’d probably pipe even more jam into the middle – for the mixed berry filling was rather scrumptious. So – while it was not the simplest of recipes, and most certainly not the quickest, it was a fun foray into the world of doughnut-making nonetheless! Homemade Jam Donuts – makes 20

490g plain flour
55g caster sugar (+ 1 cup extra)
15g dried yeast
pinch salt
1 cup warm milk
100g melted butter
3 egg yolks
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup jam

Combine the flour, caster sugar, yeast and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the centre.
Meanwhile, combine the milk, butter and egg yolks, then pour into the well.
Stir until the mixture forms a dough, then knead for 5 minutes or until smooth. Place in a clean bowl (lightly sprayed with oil), cover and allow to prove for 1 hour (or until doubled in size).
Punch down, and knead for another few minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured bench until 1cm thick.
Using a 7cm round cutter, cut into circles and place on a lined baking tray. Set aside to rise for a further 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine caster sugar and cinnamon on a plate. Fill piping bag with jam.
Heat canola oil in a deep fryer until 160-170C. Cook donuts 1 to 2 minutes each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towel to drain – then roll in sugar mixture to coat.
Finish by piping jam into the side of each doughnut – and ENJOY!

What about you? Have you ever made your own jam doughnuts? Thanks again to Hanks Jam for the generous gift that inspired these treats! Check out their website for other ‘jammy’ recipes….

Doughnut delight

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on October 28, 2013 | 4 Comments

We had such a lovely time this past weekend. Our house was filled with dear friends, and the air with squeals of 5 (?) children running around like mad men. Basically – it was just bliss. And I had a lot of fun with my ‘ol uni pal – drinking vino, reminiscing over our school days, laughing at our previous ‘fashion’ sense (or perhaps lack thereof) and generally feeling grateful for the little additions to our families. As a treat, I decided to make some doughnuts for the kiddos (although the adults were a little miffed that there were not enough leftover for them!). Next time perhaps? They really were very easy to put together –- and I opted for a regular version this time (instead of the wheat fee variety we made last time). Although they did end up being egg free when I realised I had no eggs! Instead I turned to Dr Google and concocted an arrowroot + water substitute that seemed to work just fine. Baked for 8 minutes, then topped with a chocolate icing glaze. And, of course….sprinkles!!! The adults didn’t miss out on dessert though….No – we indulged in a rather rich chocolate almond torte – but you will have to wait to tomorrow to hear all about that one! Stay tuned. Baked Doughnuts (makes 6 large)

1 1/3 cup flour
2tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg (or in my case, 2 tbs arrowroot mixed with 2 tbs water)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
3 tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180C, and grease a 6-doughnut pan.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.
Whisk egg with the sugar, then add the wet ingredients, stirring to combine.
Add the wet ingredients to the flour bowl, and stir until just combined.
Spoon into the doughnut pan (or pipe using a plastic bag with the corner cut off).
Bake for 7-9 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack before icing.
For the icing – I melted about about 50g chocolate, with a tablespoon of butter. Then added this to a half cup of icing sugar and a tablespoon of milk – stirring to combine.

What about you? What is your favourite ‘kids treat’ to make?

Homemade holiday treats – Gingerbread doughnuts

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on December 19, 2011 | 16 Comments

I think it will come as no surprise, that hosting events and parties for family and friends is one of my favourite hobbies. Be it Christmas, a birthday or some other party, I really do enjoy all the planning, decorating and cooking that is required (much to Mr BBB’s frustration lol). Last year, Mr BBB and I hosted our first Christmas in our new family home, with a flurry of decorating and baking taking place before the big day. You can find all of my 2010 Christmas Countdown posts below:

This year, we are spending Christmas with my family in Melbourne. Christmas Eve will be with family and friends in Melbourne, Christmas Day with my Mum and little brother, and Boxing Day with my Dad in rural Victoria. And, although we are planning on keeping it pretty low key, I wanted to put together a basket of homemade sweet treats and other nibbles to take down with me – to share amongst our guests at the various parties and mealtimes. I also have a few functions this week that call for a plate of treats to be provided. And so my 5 days of Homemade Holiday Treats begins! That’s right – 5 days of nothing but sugar and sweetness on BBB! I think I should probably give my dentist a call now Starting with…. Gingerbread doughnuts! aka. a tasty little treat to take to a work morning tea. Just whisk the dry. Add the wet. Stir to a batter. Pipe… Bake… And glaze. And serve. I am loving the baked variety of this normally-fried treat. These took only 10 minutes in the oven, a few minutes to glaze, making them a morning tea that you can throw together quite easily. They will keep overnight in an airtight container, but they really are best eaten on the day they are made. Delish! Gingerbread doughnuts (makes 12 large) (adapted from Pinch of Yum)

2 cups spelt (use GF plain flour to make these GF)
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1tbs ground ginger
1tbs ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
3 tbs maple syrup
50ml milk
50g melted butter

Glaze

30g butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
40ml milk
1 cup icing sugar

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 2 x 6 hole large doughnut pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the Centre.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour into the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.
Spoon into a piping bag, and pipe into doughnut tins (to about 3/4 full).
Bake for 10 –12 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack.
To make the glaze – melt the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat. Add the milk, and heat (stirring) for 1 minute. Add the icing sugar, and whisk to combine until smooth and glossy.
While warm, pour the glaze over the doughnuts.

What about you? Are you more of party planner or a party goer?

D is for Doughnuts!

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on August 26, 2011 | 17 Comments

Is it "donuts"? Or is it "doughnuts"?? I never know. I’ll go with what I think is the Australian version (doughnuts) shall I? Either way, since adopting a wheat free diet over 2 years ago, this girl has not had the opportunity to indulge in these childhood treats. Then the blog world jumped on board, and began teasing me with wonderful baked doughnut creations. Gluten free, vegan, the possibilities seemed endless. The only problem?? I did not have a doughnut pan in which to make said doughnut creations. Nor could I find anywhere in Australia or online that sold the pans. It was big drama, you know. That was….until now. Before we left for the US, I had a short list of things I wanted to buy while overseas. Vibrams, lara bars, some clothes….and most importantly, doughnut pans. And while it took me a while to actually find them, I literally skipped with glee when I finally had them in my hot little hands (much to the shop assistant’s amusement/concern). So I guess it goes without saying that the first sweet treat to be baked in the BBB household on returning from our overseas adventure was to be doughnuts. Inspired by Ashley’s recipe, along with a few tweaks of my own. I followed the same base recipe for both my full size and mini doughnut varieties, using both gluten free flour and spelt flour, but made adjustments for their cooking time and the toppings. The result? Soft vanilla doughnuts that smelled amazing fresh out of the oven. But, let’s be honest, when it comes to doughnuts, its all about the toppings! For the large doughnuts, I drizzled them with melted chocolate, then finished them with some fun sprinkles. For nothing says ‘fond childhood memory’ more than sprinkles! I couldn’t get over how adorable these doughnuts were… And not to mention… Photogenic! So much so that I had a lot of trouble narrowing down which photos I would use in this post. Along with the regular sized doughnuts, I topped the batch of mini doughnuts with a mixture of ground cinnamon and sugar. The taste and aroma of which immediately took me back 20 years, when our family would stop for a big bag of warm cinnamon donuts on our car trip to the Victorian Coast. So very moreish indeed. I served these doughnuts for dessert at our Mexican fiesta last weekend, and with only a couple leftover, I am calling my first batch a success! But a big question now remains? What flavour to create next??? Basic Baked Doughnuts (makes 12-14 large doughnuts or 24+ mini doughnuts) (Adapted from here)

1/2 cup gluten free plain flour
1/2 cup spelt flour*
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup milk**
2 tbs apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 180C. Lightly grease the doughnut pan.
Sift the dry ingredients, then whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (the batter will be quite runny).
Pour the batter into the doughnut pan, filling only to halfway. You may need cook the doughnuts in batches depending on how many pans you have.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the doughnuts spring back when lightly touched.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before topping.

*To make a gluten free variety, you could substitute the spelt flour for gluten free flour or perhaps rice flour (although this will probably change the texture slightly). I used spelt flour as I am able to tolerate small amounts of spelt, and found that it gave the doughnuts a nice springy texture. ** You could quite easily substitute the milk for non-dairy milk such as soy or rice if you prefer. Chocolate glaze: Melt 1 cup of milk chocolate chips and 1/2 tbs butter in the microwave, stirring to combine. I heat the chocolate chips/butter for 30 seconds, stir, then continue to heat in 10 second increments until smooth and glossy. Drizzle over the cooled doughnuts, and allow to set. Cinnamon sugar: Combine 1-2 tbs caster sugar and 1-2 tbs cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush doughnuts with a little melted butter, then sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar until the doughnuts are well coated. What about you? What is your favourite doughnut variety? And is it ‘doughnut’ or ‘donut’???