Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Baked Donut (filled with jam)

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There are a few Dunkin' Donut (a big US chain that makes hot and fresh fried donut) in Barcelona. Besides of store, DD also opens tiny counter in subway. The DD stores that I have been, their donuts are delivered from somewhere instead of making at site.

Every local cafe sells donuts too, but only limited to the pre-packed manufactured stuff, which always reminds me of an exhibit from a wax museum. The people seem to be happy with it though...

If I want donuts, either I buy those in packs that pump with preservatives, or make a special trip to one DD store, just to get their donuts but which probably have been fried out since last night...

So I opt for home-made.

This donut's dough requires no kneading nor frying :) :) The interior still turns out very light and spongy. But I would like to mind you, no alternative, even including this recipe, can imitate the texture of the fried donut, as that light-ness and fluffy-ness are ultimate!!!

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The recipe is from my very favorite cookbook - The Fannie Farmer's Cookbook, written by Marion Cunningham. The author suggests after the donuts coming out from oven, immediately dunking them in melted butter, then sprinkling cinnamon sugar to finish. I am sure they'd be splendid. But I would love to stay away from the extra fat; that's the reason why I 'bake'. Therefore, I filled the donuts with low-sugar jam (custard sounds great too), and outside dusted with powder sugar.

Recipe (yield 16 small-size donuts, 6 cm in diameter)

  • 2 tsps dry yeast
  • a pinch of sugar
  • 1/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 1/4 cups plain flour (no need to go for bread flour)
  • a good pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbps butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup milk, lukewarm
  • 1 small egg
  • low-sugar jam for filling, and powder sugar for dusting

Steps:

  1. In a small bowl, mix the yeast, a pinch of sugar and 1/4 cup water. Sit for 5 minutes, and you should see some bubbles on top.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Pour in the yeast mixture, melted butter, egg and the milk, use a mixing spoon and keep stirring until everything well-combines, for about 5 minutes. The consistency is super sticky, similar to cake batter's. Cover the bowl, let it proof in room temp of about 75F for an hour or so, the volume should be double.
  3. Since the dough is super-sticky, make sure the work table is well-floured, prepare a small bowl of flour aside for your hand/spatula. Carefully pour the dough on the table (with the help of spatula or hand.... everything dust with flour!), it would spread out by itself since it's very soft and lumpy. Do NOT knead or pat it too hard (as it will "kill" the air bubbles, your donuts won't be that airy then). Gental pet the dough until the thickness reaches about 2 cm. Dip the cookie cutter (mine is 6cm in dia) with flour first and cut the dough, may use a spatula to help you transferring the round doughs onto a large baking tray. Pre-grease a large piece of plastic wrap, cover the doughs and rest for 20 minutes.
  4. After the first around of cut-out (those should fill up one tray), you still have quite a bit of dough left. Dust off the excessive flour, gently push them together (and a little folding job may need), pat it flat again, and do the second round of cut-out. These will be for the second tray, and which will go to the oven the second round (I don't recommend two trays together going into the oven) as these round doughs need more time to rest/ restore the bubbles.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 400C. After send in the first tray in oven, may lower the temp to 375F if the bread browns too soon. The total baking time is only about 7 minutes, and have to take them out just before they turn brown (brown crust is too tough for donut). Then go bake the second tray.
  6. Cool the donuts on a rack. Fill them with jam, and dust the powder sugar outside.
  7. The baked donuts freeze well too. Just take them out from oven a minute or 2 earlier. Don't fill anything, after they completely cool off, wrap well and freeze. When you want them, let them thaw a bit, and reheat in a medium-hot oven for 1 - 2 minutes, and continue the jam and powder sugar.

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17 comments:

FH said...

no kneading and no frying!! I am in. Looks perfect.

Anh said...

Beautiful! I can see that you have started to bake more! I should put my act together, too! :)

Oh, will these keep for a while? I may bake a batch for my gathering...

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

They look gorgeous! This version is very ineteresting!

Cheers,

Rosa

Gattina Cheung said...

Hi Anh, sorry not for long, best to consume the same day. Or bake it days ahead and freeze it (I've written the tip in the last step :):) yeah, make more bread these days as bread is economical :D since I need to save more money for my next trip to HK next month :>

indosungod said...

This has got to be the best. I have one book marked for ages and now I have no reason not to try. Will blueberry jam work ;) :)

Ginny said...

well, you are just mean this morning! :) I've been craving donuts for weeks but haven't let myself give in... they look so amazing!

Anh said...

Gattina, oh back to HK again? Envy envy!! :)

Thx for the tip. I'll try it out for sure.

Susy Barrat said...

definetely have to mark this page!! I've been searching the recipes of baking donat..this version is simple...thanks!!!

Lulu said...

Wow! They looks perfect! And the most important - no frying!

Parita said...

Baked donuts look yumilicious!

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Shows you it doesn't have to be fried! Looks just right for a doughnut! Count me in.

lotus root said...

very interesting recipe :) i am vegetarian and don't eat eggs. is there a substitute for egg? thanks.

Gattina Cheung said...

hi lotus root, I think the role of egg in this recipe is to enhance the flavor of the bread... if that doesn't matter with you, just skip the egg and increase spoonfuls of milk... or replace with yogurt or a very small potato (dry flaky type, cooked and meshed), but I haven't tasted them, help that helps.

ChichaJo said...

I love fried donuts but don't like frying so this sounds perfect! They look gorgeous too!

Annas - Loves Doughnuts said...

Nice doughnuts of yours! Looks great. Fried donuts is still my favorite. In Asia there are potato donuts, mixed with potato. And taste great too. I think we should experiment more on doughnuts. Thanks :)

K-i-k-i said...

Yummy donuts look heavenly, this recipe is perfect for me, no frying, I must try!!! ciao.

Emma Watson said...

Althoug I am more into muffins, those donuts look great and since I don't like frying at home, I certainly will try them out.