February 27, 2013

Cinnamon Sugar Mini Doughnuts


Stupid work. I've got Parade's End saved on my DVR, and I can't watch it because I have to be an adult and go to work and make money. I don't think my boss will accept "but my imaginary hubby is in a mini-series on HBO and I wanna watch it" as an excuse to stay home.

Yep. It stars my boy. Don't judge me. I still don't have series 3 of Sherlock. Although they've been building the sets. *Squee* 221b Baker Street is back. (And crazier Sherlockians than me have spotted the fact that Benedict is growing out his hair again.) (We stalk his hair. We're not meant to wait this long. It does things to us.)

Did anyone watch it? How did you like it? I've heard good things about it. And I do love me some costume dramas. XD Just, no spoilers! Or I'll send River Song after you.
Source
I'm mixing my fandoms now. Never a good sign.

Let's just skip right to the doughnuts, shall we?
I was asked to make a "healthy" dessert. I responded by asking if they had ever met me. I believe in butter and sugar and cream, thank you. But since I'm a crazy person and hate to back away from a challenge, I decided to go with baked doughnuts. You're starting with a baked version of a traditionally fried dessert, so that's already healthy. And since I only have a mini doughnut pan, that's like doubly healthy, right? Because it's little, right? Right.

So I found this recipe on King Arthur Flour, which was already low in sugar and fat, and I swapped out the vegetable oil for unsweetened applesauce. And let me tell you, it's a good thing these are not terrible for you, because they're addicting. Easy to make, basic ingredients, super cinnamony but not overly sweet, I didn't want to give them up to the person I was making them for. I wanted them to be my doughnuts. But they went away and now I'm sad. I'm just gonna have to make more. And eat them while watching my boy on Parade's End.

They're little so it's cool if I eat a bunch, right?
That's my doughnut. And the one behind it is mine too. And the one behind that...
Right.


Cinnamon Sugar Mini Doughnuts {Printable Version}
Yield: 28 mini doughnuts

Ingredients
7/8 cup all-purpose flour (or 1 cup pastry flour)
½ cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp. dried buttermilk powder*
1½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs
3 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp. water
Cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray a mini doughnut pan with non-stick baking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, buttermilk powder, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, applesauce, and water until foamy. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fill each cavity in the doughnut pan halfway with the batter. (Use a pastry or zip top bag to pipe the batter, to make filling easier) Bake for about 6 minutes, until the doughnuts spring back when pressed. Immediately sprinkle the doughnuts with cinnamon sugar. Cool in the pan for a few minutes before turning the doughnuts out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

*Or replace 2 tbsp. water with 2 tbsp. buttermilk

Recipe adapted slightly from King Arthur Flour