A new experimental baking challenge!

You say donuts, I say doughnuts... Whatever you call them, they're delicious. That being said, I never deep fry anything at home, due to health concerns and my clumsiness making it a little dangerous on two fronts. I've been noticing a lot of baked doughnut recipes on pinterest lately, and so today while out shopping for totally unrelated boring household items I bought a 6-hole doughnut pan.

Mr Canbella says it is destined for black hole back of the baking cupboard due to it's limited fad-ish use but I think it could become a new classic, if only I can gett the recipe right. And so begins the recipe experimentation and testing!!!!

My first foray into baked doughnuts is inspired by a recipe that I found via pinterest, it attracted me because it uses Chobani yoghurt which I am a big fan of. I have changed some ingredients, you can find the original here.

Baked vanilla doughnuts with vanilla bean glaze

For doughnuts

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbs Brown Sugar
• 3 Tbs Natvia
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 Tbsp Chobani 0% Vanilla Greek Yogurt (or plain or strawberry)
• 4 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk 
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp Nuttelex, melted
• 1/4 tsp butter essence

For Glaze

1 Tbs Plain Non-Fat Chobani yoghurt

1 tsp pure vanilla bean extract

1/2 cup sifted pure icing sugar

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 (fan-forced)

2. Mix flour, sugar, Natvia and baking powder in a bowl

3. In a small jug, combine all liquid ingredients (make sure melted Nuttelex is not too hot), and whisk to get a smooth consistency.

4. Add liquid to dry ingredients and mix to a just smooth consistency. Don't mix beyond this point as it will make the batter tough.

5. Transfer the batter to a zip lock bag. Chop off one corner of the zip lock bag and pipe the batter into your doughnut pan.

6. Bake until lightly browned and springs back to the touch, about 8-12 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together glaze ingredients. At first it will seem like there is not enough liquid, but just keep whisking and the yoghurt will absorb all the icing sugar and turn into a perfect glaze consistency.

 8. Remove from oven and cool in tray for 5 minutes.

8. Turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool.

9. Dip each doughnut into the glaze mixture and allow to set on wire rack. You could glaze and serve them straight away while they are still warm, I think this would be ideal if they were a special breakfast treat!!

10. Serve! 

Note: Keep in an airtight container, unglazed they should last for 2-3 days. Glazed they would probably only last for 1 day, the yoghurt glaze tends to go a bit gunky. 

These were delicious and satisfying but I think I can still make some improvements. Next week I am going to make some tweaks to the recipe to attempt to achieve a lighter, fluffier dough. Wish me luck!!

Enjoy!

Ella xx