A baked doughnut? This doughnut junkie was sceptical, but baking yields an equally pleasing result. Assemble them the night before, cover and refrigerate. Stand in a warm place for 1 hour before baking. This recipe makes 12 doughnuts.
Ingredients
Apple-maple filling
Method
Main
1.Combine flour, sugar and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix to combine. In another bowl, whisk together milk, buttermilk, eggs and 30gm melted butter. With motor running, add milk mixture and mix on medium speed until dough is smooth and elastic (4-5 minutes). Form into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place until double in size (1-1½ hours).
2.Meanwhile, for apple-maple filling, combine all ingredients and 60ml water in a saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, cook until apple is tender and liquid is syrupy (12-15 minutes), then cool completely.
3.Preheat oven to 190C. Knock down dough, turn onto a lightly floured work surface and roll to 5mm thick. Using a 7cm-diameter cutter, cut 12 rounds from dough. Using an 8cm-diameter cutter, cut 12 rounds from remaining dough (re-roll scraps if necessary). Place smaller rounds on a baking paper-lined oven tray 5cm apart and place a heaped teaspoon of apple-maple filling in centre of each. Brush edges with milk, cover with larger rounds and press to seal edges well. Trim edges by cutting with a 7cm-diameter cutter. You can cover doughnuts with plastic wrap and refrigerate at this stage, or cover with a tea towel and stand in a warm place until risen (1-1½ hours). Bake until bottoms are just golden (8-10 minutes). Dip immediately in remaining melted butter, toss in cinnamon sugar and serve with maple syrup and any leftover apple mixture.
