Heart-Shaped Baked Chocolate Doughnuts

Baked Chocolate Doughnuts

Makes 24 doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour, sifted
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray (I used Pam for Baking).
2. In large mixing bowl, sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add buttermilk, eggs, oil and vanilla; mix gently until just combined. Fill each doughnut cup approximately 1/2 full (2 tablespoons batter).
3. Bake 4-5 minutes or until the tops of the doughnuts spring back when touched. Let cool in pan for 3 minutes before removing. Repeat with remaining batter. Finish doughnuts with desired toppings. Doughnuts are best served fresh.

Raspberry Glaze:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Pink food color (optional - I didn’t use it)

Directions:

1. In small bowl, stir together sugar, jam and milk; mix until sugar is completely dissolved. Mix in color if desired. Use immediately to glaze doughnuts.

Chocolate Glaze:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the confectioners’ sugar, and whisk until smooth. Place the mixture over a bowl of warm water and dip the doughnuts immediately. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving.

Baked Jam Doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 750g plain flour
• 140g castor sugar
• 7g yeast (1 sachet)
• 330ml luke warm milk
• 2 free range eggs
• 150g butter, melted
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam for filling
• 1 cup of castor sugar for coating doughnuts
• 100g butter, melted for coating doughnuts
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Method:

1. Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl.
2. Add the yeast to the milk and put aside for a few minutes until it starts to ferment. Then whisk the yeasty milk together with the eggs and melted butter. Add to the flour mix and combine into a dough ball.
3. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes then lightly oil the dough and place it back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to prove for 1-1.5 hours or until more than double in size.
4. Preheat oven to 190C. Lightly flour 2 baking trays.
5. Knock the air out of the dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 or 16 depending on whether you want regular or smaller doughnuts.
6. Roll into balls, trying to keep a smooth top and sides and only a seem underneath. Take the underside (less smooth side) and press your thumb into the dough and work it into a ‘well’ to fill with jam. Make sure there is enough dough to bring up over the jam without it squeezing out. This takes a bit of practice.
7. Place a teaspoon of jam in the well and bring the dough over the jam and pinch it together. Place seem side down on prepared baking tray.
8. Give the doughnuts plenty space to double in size without touching each other.
9. Cover with glad wrap and stand in a warm place until they have risen double in size.
10. Bake for 10 minutes until golden.
11. Melt the extra butter in a bowl and mix the extra sugar and cinnamon in another bowl.
12. Once the doughnuts come out of the oven dip them while hot in the melted butter, then dip them into the cinnamon sugar and serve hot.