Once in a young lifetime one should be allowed to have as much sweetness as one can possibly want and hold. ~Judith Olney
I had never thought I would make doughnuts at home. Really! The thought never crossed my mind. I was content with letting the kid enjoy it from Krispie Kreme. So this month’s project with Aparna’s “We Knead to Bake” made me dish out secrets about myself.
1. I had never eaten a doughnut before.
2. I had never eaten a doughnut before so I did not know what texture, thickness etc I should be looking for.
3. I had never eaten a doughnut before was a topic of disccusion for a few days after I declared that this month’s project was doughnut and that I did not know how they taste like.
4. It was amusing, very amusing, for my daughter and she giggled for days asking how could I not have even wanted to try a doughnut – EVER!
I know that look YOU are giving me right now. How could I not have EVER!
I think it’s got to do with the glaze and the sprinkles and the sugary look dougnuts have. That is something I personally do not like – over the top sweet things. I can gobble a hard candy but I can’t eat a very sweet dessert. Now the secret it out.
As I set out to make the baked doughnuts with chocolate glaze, I had to work my way without much data. All the amount of reading can not prepare you to make something you have never tasted before. So I officiated the teen as the taste tester and set to work. Her first reaction after tasting the baked doughnuts was not very encouraging. She thought they were not bad. But her mind changed the next morning, when the leftover doughnuts were as good as she had them freshly baked. The final verdict was that she thought the baked ones had a depth of character, but the “real” ones were out of this world. As for me, these are the only ones I have tasted and I quite like them.
With the baked doughnuts we are at the half mark to the finish line. Six months, six bakes. These Baked doughnuts with chocolate glaze are going to be tested at Yeastspotting as well.
Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
For the doughnuts
- 1/4 cup superfine sugar
- 1 cup warm milk 45C/115F
- 3/4 tbsp instant yeast or 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup cake flour or 1tbsp cornstarch + enough all-purpose flour to make up to 1 cup
- 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 100 gm cold butter cut into 1 inch cubes
For the glaze
- 100 gms Chocolate pieces /Chips semi sweet
- 50 ml Whipping Cream
- 1/4 th tsp butter
Instructions
- Put the sugar, milk, yeast, salt and vanilla in the stand mixer bowl and stir to mix well, using the paddle.
- Add the cake flour and 1 cup of all-purpose flour,mix on low adding a little more of the flour as necessary till the dough is thick and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Now add the butter pieces one at a time and process till there no large chunks of butter are left in the bottom of the bowl. Now add a little more flour until your have a soft, pliable and elastic dough that is most but not overly sticky.
- Remove the paddle and attach the dough hook, and knead on medium until the dough is soft and pliable.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased large mixing bowl., turning it to coat well. Cover and let it rise till double in volume.
- Punch the dough back
- Roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out doughnuts using a doughnut cutter. Place the doughnuts on parchment lined baking sheets, leaving at least 1” space between them.
- Re-roll the scraps and cut out more doughnuts. Take care to not over knead the scraps, the dough will get tougher to roll.
- Let them rise for about 20 minutes or till almost double in size and then bake them at 400F for about 7 minutes or until golden in color. ( Time will vary upon oven and where you live)
- Allow to cool slightly and then dip them in the chocolate ganache for a spectacular glaze.
The Glaze
- Heat the cream until scalding, pour over the chocolate and mix gently without creating air bubbles.
- Once all the chocolate and cream comes together add in the butter, mix and allow to cool, covered.
Recipe Notes
Recipe adapted from : - Doughnuts by Lara Ferroni