If you're craving for cinnamon pretzels, cinnamon buns or cinnamon doughnuts, this will probably be a nice thing to make for yourself if you've got some time in hand. Unlike 2 previous baked doughnuts I've tried here and here, this one takes a lot more work because it's made with yeast. *Groans* I know, I know, but hold that thought because on the upside you don't need a donut pan for these PLUS your efforts really pay off because baked yeast doughnuts tastes better in terms of texture (I've still yet to find a FLUFFY cake doughnut. If you know of one, let me know!) and I think has a closer resemblance to their conventional fried siblings. This is just great, maybe one of the best cinnamony things I've made. I'll be using this recipe again and again.
And you know what? I'm actually starting to like working with dough- the kneading bit. I know I've probably said this already in some other post but don't you just love seeing all the crumbly, sticky mess turn to a beautifully smooth and elastic ball? I love transformations- the reason why I love mixing egg whites to stiff peaks or creaming butter and sugar. It's SO COOL! And if you hate kneading, then pull out those fancy electric mixers with a dough hook- then life would be so much easier. I actually have one too but for some reason I lost it? I know it sounds ridiculous that such a big thing can go missing but I just don't use it much so mum stores it *somewhere*. I'll ask her sometime. So anyway, it was my first time making doughnuts without the pan so even though the recipe explicitly said not to expect some golden topped doughnuts when taking them out of the oven, I honestly thought it would be a little more.... coloured. Mine was reaaally pale and I thought I had failed and wanted to put it back in the oven for a little longer. Thank goodness I didn't because 1) They were starting to get burnt on the bottom (I had to scrape and slice bottoms)! and 2) They turned out looking pretty good with a lovely tinge of gold from the melted butter coating. So just a heads up that it will be pale when you take it out of the oven and that's completely fine, just go along with it and proceed.
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| Don't you want a bite too? Don't I look super inviting? Looks can be deceiving. To be honest with you, it actually tasted way too sweet. The raspberry jam was sour and such a distraction to the cinnamon (sour cinnamon anyone? Didn't think so.) I ended up just munching the outside dough bits without the jam. Phew, glad I didn't pipe them to a dozen straight away and tried them first. I guess being impatient and greedy comes in handy sometimes. TIP: If you want jam filled doughnuts, pipe them and just dust them with icing sugar. |
Okay, moving along. I think this recipe actually makes alot... like really alot. I was shocked at 5 cups of flour so I made a half batch and that was quite enough and made me around 16 round hole-less doughnuts. So if you're just making this for your own little family, I'm suggesting you halve the recipe too. Not that you have to listen to me because you're the boss of yourself and I would not be able to predict whether once you'll make them your family will fall in love with them and decide 3 each won't be enough so I don't want to be held responsible for making an unreliable suggestion. Okay, sorry, you decide. But I have to say, they taste the best on the same day they're baked. Next day, they're still nice but the sugar starts to melt and seep in so making the exterior a little soggy. Not that it matters to me because it's like eating a sticky cinnamon bun. Yum.
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts
Recipe originally from 101 Cookbooks
Makes around 2 dozen medium sized doughnuts
For the doughnuts:
1 1/3 cups warm milk, 95 to 105 degrees
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 large eggs
5 cups all-purpose flour
A pinch or two of cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
For the coating:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1. Place warm milk in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the yeast and sugar. Add the butter, eggs, flour, cinnamon and salt. Beat the dough with the dough hook attachment (or with a wooden spoon and eventually your hands) for 2-3 minutes at medium speed. Adjust the dough texture by adding flour a few tablespoons at a time or more milk. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and be very soft and smooth but still slightly sticky – don’t overflour! Knead the dough for a few minutes (again, by mixer or by hand) and then transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
2. Punch down the dough and roll it out to about 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly floured counter. Using a doughnut cutter or a 2-3 inch circle cookie cutter, cut out circles in the dough. Carefully transfer the circles to a parchment lined baking sheet and stamp out the smaller inner circles using a smaller cutter. Be sure to make the holes large enough so that as the doughnuts rise again and bake, they don’t fill in the doughnut hole with the puffiness of the dough. Cover the tray with clean cloth. (At this point, you can refrigerate the doughnuts overnight or proceed with the recipe.) Let the doughnuts rise for about another 45 minutes, until they are puffed and nearly doubled.
3. Bake in a 375 degree F oven until the bottoms are just golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Start checking the doughnuts around minute 8. They should still be pale on top, not golden and browned, and just barely baked through.
4. Remove the doughnuts from the oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Dip each one in the melted butter and toss or sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar. Serve immediately.
NOTE: If using dry active yeast, proof it beforehand by combining 1/3 cup of warm milk with the yeast and waiting for 5 minutes. Combine the sugar with the rest of the warm milk and add it in to the yeast mixture and proceed with the recipe.
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| Perfect doughnut without the jam. Enjoyed with a nice glass of cold milk to counteract all that sugar! |
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| I would share these doughnuts with all of you. Here's some virtual warm doughnuts for take away! It's the thought that counts, right? :) |
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