Make a batch of these beauties for National Doughnut Week.
There are various special foodie days and weeks throughout the year. They're all a bit of fun, I think, but some are totally bonkers – I mean, International Carrot Day in April…really? Not that I don't like a carrot, but please!
I love it when there's a bit of a cause behind these fantastical dates. Like Cupcake Day later in the year for The Alzheimer's Society, or more recently, National Doughnut Week, which has been encouraging home bakers to rustle up batches of the fried sweet breads to raise awareness for The Children's Trust.
Making doughnuts at home isn't easy. In fact, it's brought me out in cold sweats many a time. You have to get the dough right, then there's the fear the hot pan of oil will get knocked over somehow. And it's pretty hard to tell when they're cooked inside – I've made many a batch of golden brown doughnuts with a raw squidgy centre. However, there is a solution, and that's the silicone mini doughnut mould.
I got mine at Lakeland Ltd and it's brilliant, making 12 tiny cakes in the blink of an eye, without a furiously bubbling chip pan or spot of yeast in sight.
Here I've given them a little Scandi twist.
Lemon and cardamom baked mini doughnuts
(makes 12)
Ingredients
50ml milk
1 medium egg
40g melted butter
1/2tsp ground cardamom
Zest 1 lemon
50g caster sugar
85g self-raising flour
Sunflower oil spray
Caster sugar for dusting
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 170C, spray your silicone mini doughnut mould to finely coat and place on a baking tray. Whisk together the wet ingredients (egg, butter, milk) with the lemon zest and cardamom until smooth.
Pour the flour and sugar into a mixing bowl (I use one with a pouring lip), stir, then make a well. Pour the liquid mix into the well then combine with the dry ingredients until smooth. Leave to rest for five minutes.
Now pour the batter into your prepared mould, filling each part about three-quarters. Place the tray with the baking mould into the oven and bake for eight to 10 minutes until golden. Roll in caster sugar to serve.
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