cinnamon

Baked apple doughnut balls

I simply love how versatile doughnuts actual are. Through this week of doughnut madness I have learnt that they can be transformed, decorated and baked any which way you like. They are the chameleons of the baked goods world and simply a lot of fun.

This recipe is day four and worth the wait. It’s a great recipe to make for a party as it has different dippers and you can play around with the sauces you choose. Your guest can mix flavours or pick a flavour and dip and dunk away. I must admit I have always been a bit of a dunker myself but there is no judgment here!

They are interactive which I think can really elevate a dinner party and makes them a social affair. They are also great for children’s parties and you could mix things up with different frosting colours and sprinkles!

Ingredients:

·      2 cups apple cider

·      2 whole cloves

·      2 cups all-purpose flour

·      1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

·      1 ½ teaspoon baking soda

·      1 teaspoon cinnamon

·      ¼ teaspoon salt

·      1 large egg

·      2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

·      ⅔ cup light brown sugar

·      ½ cup buttermilk

·      2 tablespoons apple sauce, naturally sweetened - no sugar

·      1 apple pealed and finely chopped into little cubes

·      250ml cream

·      1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Instructions:

For the baked apple cider doughnuts:

Start by simmering the apple cider with the 2 cloves in a small saucepan over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the apple cider reduces down to ½ cup. Remove the cloves from the concentrate and pour the apple cider into a container and refrigerate while you prepare the doughnut batter.

Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Spray your doughnut pan or your mini cupcake pan with non stick spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the egg, melted butter, and brown sugar, whisk until smooth. Then, add in the apple sauce, vanilla, buttermilk, and the apple cider concentrate.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Its okay if a few small lumps remain. They will bake out.

Pour the batter by the teaspoon into the prepared mini cupcake pan about three quarter of the way full. Make sure to not overfill, as they will rise when baking. Drop a small piece of apple into each doughnut ball. Mini doughnut balls take between 8-11 minutes. If you are making doughnuts, they will take about 9-12 minutes. Check them by inserting a toothpick and if it comes out clean they are ready!

For the cinnamon sugar coating:

Combine the sugar and cinnamon together. Dip the tops of each doughnut ball into the melted butter then coat with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat with all the doughnuts. Depending on how long you dip the doughnuts into the butter, you may need more butter and/or more cinnamon sugar.

For the whipped cream:

Whip the cream and add the vanilla. Serve in a small bowl as a dipper to break the sweetness of the caramel.

If you want the caramel sauce from yesterday post it's a great dipper for this recipe

-Melissa

Easter Ring - A Legacy of Flour and Tradition

There is something truly sacred about growing up in a family that honours tradition. I count myself incredibly lucky to have a mother who, no matter how busy life became, always carved out time for the little moments—the kind of moments I will now cherish forever.

Whether it was the scent of spices on Easter morning or the ritual of decorating our Christmas tree, I grew up at her knee. She taught me not just how to bake, but how to become the woman I am today. She is my best friend, my rock, and a true connoisseur of flavours. In many ways, she is the birthplace of The Truffle Journal and my entire culinary life, unless, of course, I look even further back to my grandmother.

Tradition is a value I hold dear and one I am so hopeful to share with you. Those magical mornings spent baking Easter rings or setting up the Osterzweig (a beautiful German tradition of hanging eggs on branches) are etched into my memory.

I hope that by trying this recipe and sharing it around a table with your loved ones, you feel inspired to create your own yearly rituals. This Easter Ring is essentially a "glorified" hot cross bun meets a cinnamon roll, a total game-changer for your holiday table.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

The Dough 500g flour, sifted
5ml salt
55g sugar
10ml ground mixed spice
10ml ground nutmeg
5ml ground cinnamon
10g instant dry yeast
60g butter
150ml milk
1 egg, beaten
125ml lukewarm water
150g cake fruit mix

The Filling
80g butter
60g castor sugar
30ml cinnamon
180g cake fruit mix
1 egg
12.5ml milk

The Icing
85g icing sugar, sifted
15ml water (or brandy, for a festive kick)
5ml vanilla essence

The Process

In a mixing bowl, combine the first six dry ingredients. Once combined, sprinkle the dry yeast over the top.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter into the milk. Once melted, set it aside to cool slightly.

Combine the dry ingredients and the fruit mix with the egg and the milk-butter mixture. Slowly add enough lukewarm water until it forms a soft, pliable dough.

You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this part. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should not be too sticky; if it is, add a tiny bit of flour until the dough feels balanced.

Lightly flour your counter and place the dough on the surface, covering it with a greased glass mixing bowl.

Allow the dough to rest in a warm environment for 20 minutes. I often leave my oven on low to warm the kitchen or place the dough in a sunny spot.

Once rested, roll the dough out into a rectangle roughly 35cm by 25cm. Be sure to flour your surface so it doesn't stick.

For the filling, cream the butter and sugar together in a small bowl. Spread this mixture all over the rectangle as if you are buttering toast.

Sprinkle the cinnamon over the butter and top evenly with the fruit mix.

Starting at the long side, tightly roll the rectangle up like a Swiss roll.

Place the roll onto a lightly greased baking tray and shape it into a ring, joining the ends.

Score the ring into 5cm slices using a sharp knife, keeping the slices joined near the inner circle.

Cover with greased cling wrap and leave in a warm place for a further 10 minutes, or until the ring has doubled in size.

In a small jug, mix the egg and milk to create a wash. Brush this gently over the ring after it has risen.

Bake at 200°C for 20–25 minutes until the ring is golden brown. If you tap the base and it sounds hollow, it is ready.

Allow the ring to cool completely.

For the icing, mix the icing sugar with the water (or brandy) and vanilla until perfectly smooth and free of lumps.

Drizzle the icing over the cooled ring. When it comes to this part, I always say: don’t be shy!

You can decorate the finished ring with glacé cherries if you wish.

-Melissa