First time I baked my doughnuts instead of frying them, they resembled dinner rolls with a sweet glaze, but I was mighty proud of my creation. Being someone who does not enjoy deep-fried foods, that was a breakthrough moment for me.
Over the years, I've perfected my baked doughnuts, and I am very happy to say they are pillowy soft and supremely aromatic. Full of apple pie filling enriched with vanilla and rosewater, they are one of life's simple pleasures, especially served with a mug of hot tea on a chilly day.
My tips for success.
First and foremost, please don't be tempted to add a lot more flour. I know the dough is very soft and sticky, but have patience and let it rest during kneading, if needed, to keep it as soft as possible. This type of pastry depends on the dough hydration and baking time.
Second, please don't be tempted to sample them before they cool down, because they will be molten hot. Spoken from experience, it is much better to let them cool down so you don't burn yourself.
And lastly, if you like the flavour combination of apples and honey, feel free to add a big spoonful of honey, either vegan or bee honey, just before filling the doughnuts. That way, the flavour will remain prominent and wonderful.
Ingredients
For the soft dough
420 grams plain flour
120 millilitres apple juice, room temperature
120 millilitres warm water
40 millilitres vegetable oil
40 grams fresh yeast
25 grams light brown sugar
10 grams salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the apple pie filling
500 grams apples, peeled, cored, and diced
150 grams light brown sugar
15 grams cornflour
50 millilitres cold water
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
¼ teaspoon rosewater
For the crunchy topping
100 grams vegan block butter, melted
50 grams granulated sugar
50 grams dark brown sugar
Preparation
To make the dough, take a large bowl, crumble in the fresh yeast, add in the sugar, apple juice, and warm water. Mix it well so the yeast starts to dissolve, and set it aside for about 10-15 minutes. Once ready, add in the oil and the vanilla, mix well, and then sift in the flour and the salt. Mix with a wooden spoon until a very soft dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead it by hand for about 5 minutes, until it becomes supple and smooth. It should not stick too much to your hands, but if it does, feel free to add a bit more flour. Place the dough back into the same bowl, cover, and let it rise for about an hour, or until doubled.
While the dough is resting, make the filling. Combine the finely diced apples and sugar in a saucepan, and place it over medium high heat. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the apples soften. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cold water, cornflour, vanilla, and rosewater, and add it to the bubbling apples. Cook, mixing and folding constantly, until all the liquid evaporates and the filing becomes sticky and aromatic. Set aside to cool.
Take the risen dough out of the bowl and knead it very lightly by hand, just to knock some of the air out, and then divide it into 9 equal parts, by weight. Without any shaping, flatten them you’re your hand on the work surface, add a portion of the filling, and close it very well. Take your time with this step so the filling stays inside while baking. Arrange them on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment, generously mist them with cold water, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rise until doubled. Meanwhile, turn the oven on to preheat to 200˚C.
As soon as they're ready, bake in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 12-15 minutes. They need to remain as soft as possible, so watch them carefully. While they are baking, melt the vegan block butter, and mix the sugars in a separate bowl. As soon as they are done, take them out of the oven, let them cool slightly, and carefully, as they will be piping hot, dip them in the melted butter on all sides, and then immediately in the sugar. Place them on the serving platter and serve as soon as they are comfortably warm to your liking. Yields 9 very large doughnuts.
