Recipe: Baked Spelt Doughnuts

Ever since hearing about baked doughnuts I have been wanting to try them. I make fried doughnuts probably once or twice a year, if we're lucky, so I didn't feel the need to bake them due to an over consumption of fried food. I just wanted to try it. And last weekend I did just that.


It was perfect doughnut making weather - a lovely rainy day. I used the same dough recipe for my baked doughnuts as I use for my fried ones.
I'm surprised to say that I didn't notice a difference in the flavour of the baked doughnut compared to the fried one. Both are equally as delicious.
The thing I love about the baked ones though, is that I didn't have to stand in front of a hot wok of oil, worrying about temperatures or oil splattering. I just baked the doughnuts on the same trays as they were risen on. Whilst they were baking, I melted some butter and mixed together my rapadura and cinnamon. I brushed the doughnuts with butter once they were baked, to help the sugar mixture stick. Far more relaxing and easy peasy.

Anyway, enough about how much I enjoyed them - I've posted the recipe below so that you can try baking your very own doughnuts if you like. I hope you enjoy them and do let me know what you think of them - are you a fried doughnut lover or do you prefer the baked ones I wonder?


Oh, the other wonderful thing about baking them is that if you use a doughnut cutter, you get to do cool things with the 'holes'. I put mine together in a Christmas tree shape. I love the way it turned out.

We're not an overly festive bunch, but I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas! Whether you have a traditional celebration or are minimalist, I hope the day is everything you're hoping for. I actually can't believe we're nearly at the end of another year. xx

Baked Spelt Doughnuts

Ingredients:

300mls lukewarm Water

2 large Eggs

1 tsp Salt

3 tblsp Rapadura (or sugar)

80gm Butter, melted

4 1/2 cups Unbleached Spelt or White Flour

2 tsp Yeast

Butter, melted, to serve

Cinnamon & Rapadura (or sugar), to serve

Mixing the Dough:

Method 1 (Breadmaker)

Put ingredients, in the order listed, into breadmaker. Set on Dough:Bread setting - ours goes for an hour and a half. Make sure you check on the dough 5 minutes into mixing, it may need more flour.

Method 2 (By Hand)

Put ingredients, in the order listed, into a large bowl. Mix until it begins to come together in a bowl, then turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until a soft, elastic dough has formed. Return to bowl and allow to rest and rise in a warm place, covered, for an hour and a half.

Rolling out the Doughnuts:

Line several baking trays with none stick baking paper.

Dust a large silicon mat or board with flour and turn the dough onto the surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough until approx. 1cm thick. Using your chosen cutter (see note) cut out doughnuts and place on trays. Cover and let rise for 25 minutes or until doubled in size. 

During the last 5 minutes of rising, preheat your oven to 190 ºC.

Bake the doughnuts for 10-12 minutes, or until firm and very lightly golden. Mix cinnamon and rapadura together in a bowl and set aside. 

Transfer doughnuts immediately to a wire rack and allow to cool for 30 seconds before brushing with melted butter and rolling in rapadura mixture. Serve warm.

Note: This recipe makes a large batch of doughnuts. The doughnuts are lovely with a cup of tea or coffee the next day, but if you don't want left overs than this recipe is easily doubled.
If you don't have Spelt, then whole wheat or unbleached white flour will work just as well.


PS If you'd like to try fried spelt doughnuts, you will find my recipe here.