I grew up having very humble sugar doughnuts, so for the longest of time, I liked them just like that, preferably with some vanilla sugar added. I still do enjoy that crunch from the sugar coating while the doughnut is still warm, but I have to admit, creating flavourful fillings for the doughnuts has become such a delight for me.
These soft baked beauties are full of strawberries, rosé wine, and vanilla. The perfect summer doughnut. Light and airy dough, flavourful filling, and a pretty, pink glaze.
They can be served as soon as the chocolate glaze sets, or even with it still being shiny and trickling, depending on the preference. And if I might say so myself, they pair fantastically with a glass of rosé or even a well-chilled strawberry cordial.
Ingredients
For the soft baked doughnuts
550 grams plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon salt
150 millilitres warm water
30 grams fresh yeast
50 grams light brown sugar
150 grams soya yoghurt
65 millilitres vegetable oil, divided
For the strawberry rosé filling
400 grams fresh strawberries, hulled
100 millilitres unfined rosé wine
50 grams light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the white chocolate ganache glaze
220 grams vegan white chocolate
80 millilitres plant double cream
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1-2 drops dusty rose vegan food colouring, optional
Preparation
Start by making the strawberry rosé filling. Dice the hulled strawberries and add them to a large pot. Sprinkle in the sugar, add the vanilla, and pour rosé over the top. Place the pot over medium heat, and let come to a boil slowly. Let the filling bubble away for at least 30-35 minutes, stirring often, until it almost resembles a very fragrant jam. Once thickened and reduced, remove it from the heat, and set it aside to cool down.
To make the doughnuts, sift the flour into a large bowl, add in the salt, whisk very well, and set it aside. Crumble the fresh yeast into a medium bowl, add in the sugar, pour in the warm water, and set it aside for about 10-15 minutes so the yeast can activate. Once the yeast is bubbly and ready, make a well in the centre of the flour, add in the yeast, yoghurt, vanilla, and 45 millilitres of oil, and vigorously mix with a wooden spoon until a very soft and sticky dough forms. It should not stick to your hands, but if it does, add another tablespoon of flour, but do keep the dough as soft as possible. Place the dough into a large clean bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rise, at room temperature, for about an hour, or until doubled.
While the dough is resting, make the chocolate ganache. Place the chopped up vegan white chocolate into a large bowl, add in the plant double cream and the vanilla, and melt it slowly together, either in the microwave, or in a double boiler. Because plant creams vary in consistency, you might need to add a tablespoon or so more, to make the ganache nice and spreadable. Once melted, remove it from the heat so it cools down. Mix in the food colouring, if using.
When the dough is ready, transfer it to a lightly floured surface, and knead it briefly. Divide it into 12 equal pieces, shape each of them into a ball, and arrange them on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Let the doughnuts rest and rise, covered, for about 30 minutes more. Just before baking, brush them with the reserved oil, and bake in a preheated oven, at 200°C, for about 12-15 minutes.
Once baked and done, remove them from the oven, and immediately remove them from the baking sheet, to help them cool down more easily. When the doughnuts are ready, place the filling into a piping bag fitted with a large doughnut nozzle, fill each of them generously, and spread about two tablespoons of the ganache over each one. If ganache has hardened while the doughnuts were cooling, just place the whole bowl into another bowl of warm water, and it will be spreadable again. As soon as the ganache sets, they are ready to be served. Yields 12 rich servings.
