Dreamy Doughnuts

Can’t type, eating doughnuts…

Perfect Baked Chocolate Donuts via Crazy for Crust

Modified ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tbsp stevia
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa, soda, salt, stevia and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Whisk the milk, egg, oil, and vanilla in a measuring cup. Whisk into dry ingredients.
4. Transfer the batter to a large gallon size resealable bag. Cut off one tip and pipe into donut pan OR carefully spoon into pan.
5. Recipe makes 6 donuts in a regular donut pan. You can also make these as mini muffins. Baking time will be affected.
6. Bake for 7-8 minutes until a toothpick just comes out clean. Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove and EAT! Or top with glaze or sugar.

This is my third and most successful doughnut recipe, and I really should have doubled it. I avoided glaze to cut down on the sugar content, but a dark chocolate glaze with almonds would be beautiful. Here’s one I tried earlier:

       Chocolate Glaze via King Arthur Flour

• • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Melt the ingredients together over low heat or in the microwave, stirring often.
Yield: about 1/2 cup glaze. The original calls for light corn syrup, but it’s not
necessary unless you prefer shiny doughnuts.

Top with sliced almonds, sprinkles or whatever takes your fancy.

Happy baking!

A Sweet Taste of Home

I feel very fortunate that I grew up with an amazing Mom who can bake up a storm. As many of my favourite childhood treats are very sweet creations, I’ve been trying my best to avoid ruining them through unsuccessful recipe mods. I rediscovered the magic of full sugar fudge cake last year, and was treated to the ultimate family recipe (too good to share!) while my parents were here over the holidays. It wasn’t until a recent visit to my favourite Wellington bar that pushed me to work on today’s recipe.

Do yourself a favour and order a Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich from CGR (or grab one from Moore Wilson’s) next time you are in town. This dreamy ice cream creation hails from Wooden Spoon and the Dough Momma cookies taste just like the ones my Mom makes. While I was eating this incredible beast, I ignored my friends for a good 15 minutes. They had to check in on me from time to time.

So to honour this magnificent cookie, and my amazing Mom, I give you My Mom’s (from the back of the Chipits packet) Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies Mod.

3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp Stevia
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 2/3 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional, we were not a nut family)

In large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar and Stevia until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until creamy.
In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture.
Stir in milk chocolate chips and nuts, if desired.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 190°C for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Let cool slightly on cookie sheet, then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 30 Carruthers sized cookies.

Original recipe:
https://www.hersheycanada.com/recipes/en-ca/recipes/cookies/3544/chipits-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe

Taking out the 1 cup of granulated sugar brings down the sugar content and adding the spelt flour keeps the cookies light and airy, while adding some whole grain goodness. If you want to make these beauties into ice cream sandwiches, I would recommend trying a no sugar added vanilla ice cream, like Zilch! or whatever is available at your local super.

Muffins from Heaven

How time flies!
This recipe isn’t new, but it’s a beauty. Trying my best not to eat them all immediately…

Recipe Mod: Taste of Home, Carrot Banana Muffins

1 cup plain flour
1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
2 tbsp Natvia
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium)
1/3 cup oil
1 cup grated carrots

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, carrot, bananas and oil. Fold into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Spoon into muffin pan. They rise nicely, so feel free to fill each cup. I made 12 small.
Bake at 150° for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bonus round
Ice with sweetened cream cheese or mascarpone to jazz them up.

Original recipe:
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/carrot-banana-bread

Sugar-Free Wins!

Forget the small talk, let’s get down to business!

Recipe Mod: Eat Real, Stay Sane (Pretty Much) Sugar-Free Sweet and Sour Pork

3-4 pork steaks, chopped into bite-sized pieces
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
1 Bell pepper, chopped into 1 – 2 inch pieces
2 cups pineapple, chopped into bite-sized pieces
Coconut oil (or oil of your choice)
3/4 cup Rice Malt Syrup
3/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp Fermented soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
6 tbsp Organic or homemade Ketchup

In a large saucepan, fry up the pepper in the oil.
Add the pork to saucepan, and coat with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, to taste.
In a bowl, mix together the rice malt syrup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder and ketchup in a bowl. When the pork is done, pour the sauce over the chicken and add the pineapple.
Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Recipe notes:

There are no photos of this beautiful meal because I wolfed it down so quickly. Sweet and Sour Pork has always been my favourite takeaway dish, and if you haven’t tried the AWESOME sweet and sour dish from Mr. Ji’s in Petone, you are missing out. This version is a delicious alternative that cuts out the sugar and the deep frying. We paired it with rescued fried rice (using rice leftovers) and had no leftovers, so be sure to pace yourself.

Original recipe:
http://eatrealstaysane.com/organic-sugar-free-sweet-sour-chicken/

Recipe Mod: Handle the Heat’s Doughnut Waffles

1 tbsp Stevia
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk (any kind)
1 1/2 cups (6.75 ounces or 191 grams) all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, whisk the stevia, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together. Add the egg and yolk, melted butter, and milk until combined. Stir in the flour until combined. The batter will be thick.
Preheat your waffle iron. Place a tablespoon of batter in each waffle cavity and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and repeat for the remaining batter.
Dip in maple syrup and enjoy!

Recipe notes:

The original recipe also includes a maple syrup glaze, which I was too hungry to make. These beauties are a quick and tasty breakfast or dessert treat, and until I get my doughnut pan, will be a nice substitute for the real deal.

Recipe goal of the week: Baked Vanilla Doughnuts – Natvia Ultimate Icing Recipes

These sugar-free baked doughnuts look and sound heavenly! I can’t wait to try these puppies out.

Recipe link:
http://issuu.com/naturalsweetener/docs/natvia_ultimate_icing_recipes/17

Happy baking!

Naturally Sweet Sunday (almost)

This week I was craving a little taste of home to help me get through a round of antibiotics and a very long work week. While this recipe is not 100% sugar free, it’s definitely worth cheating a wee bit for.

http://instagram.com/p/x3oAiAF_ZM/

These Blueberry Orange Muffins are one of my Mom’s (and Dad too) specialties. There’s usually a batch ready when I come home to visit, and remember having at least a dozen brought down to me when I was at Uni in Vancouver. They are so good and they go with just about anything. Our family favours a slice of cheddar on each half, or if you need a healthy protein punch, peanut butter is a beautiful addition. The recipe is originally from the Best of Bridge series, but to keep it close to home, I’m posting my Mom’s hand typed instructions.

Blueberry Orange Muffins

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups orange yogurt
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 tsp. grated orange rind
1 1/4 cups blueberries (if using frozen blueberries do not let them thaw before adding or batter will be blue)

In large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until
mixture resembles fine crumbs. In small bowl combine yogurt, eggs and orange rind. Add all at once
to flour mixture. Stir just until combined. Gently fold in blueberries.
Divide batter evenly among 12 paper cup lined muffin tins. Bake in 205 degrees C oven for 20 -25 minutes or until done.

Recipe notes:

You can tell the muffins are done when the tops are golden brown. I baked mine for 20 minutes and they were beautiful. As usual, substitute the sugar for stevia (1 or 2 tbsp depending on your preference). If you are in a country that doesn’t sell orange yogurt (trust me, it’s amazing), you can use lemon yogurt instead. This is the ingredient that makes them not so sugar free, but as I said before, they’re worth it.

A Sugar-Free Christmas, part two

Yesterday was fun, and a great example of how gluten free flour is not a simple 1-1 swap for regular flour. Luckily butter was on sale today and I was determined to make some house-friendly shortbread. And what do I do when one recipe fails miserably? I look to Nigella…

http://instagram.com/p/wlCyT5l_eY/

Nigella.com: Gluten Free Lemon Shortbread

While this Gluten-Free Lemon Shortbread recipe isn’t a Lawson official, it is located in the very handy Community Section of her website.

Recipe notes:

When it comes to sugar, you know what to do.

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/gluten-free-biscuits-lemon-shortbread-4369

Key Ingredient: Sugar Free Royal Icing (modified)

2 cups powdered sugar substitute (I put stevia in the coffee grinder and voila!)
1 large egg white
½ tsp lemon juice
Splash of vanilla extract
Sticky Rice flour to thicken

Whip the first three ingredients together. Add srf as needed to thicken. Colour and pipe on to the cookies. Beware, these cookies are delicate, but can be glued back together with your icing.

You can find the original recipe here: http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/219080897/sugar-free-sugar-cookies-with-royal-icing/

Happy baking!

A Sugar-Free Christmas Fail

What can I say… clearly gluten free flour doesn’t have the same holding power when it comes to shortbread.

A Sugar-Free Christmas, part one

What do you do when you don’t have enough decorations for a truly Baroque holiday tree? You bake some! And as promised in the title, they are sugar free (duh).

http://instagram.com/p/wSJ6v-l_QH/

Ornament dough

2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
3/4 cup water

Preheat the oven to 150 C.
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Knead for 10 minutes, then roll out on a floured surface.
Cut into awesome shapes and make holes for hanging. I used a skewer to poke holes large enough for ribbon.
Bake for 30 minutes and allow plenty of time to cool.
Decorate! Be sure to seal your beautiful artwork so it doesn’t crumble or attract tiny beasts. I used white glue and water, but you can get fancy with spray sealant if you really love your new festive friends.

I painted the smaller decorations with nail polish for a shiny finish and seal all in one. Handy.

I’ll add more photos to my Instagram soon. I’m particularly proud of my Christmas doughnuts and sugar skulls. If you have cookie cutters with stamps (like these sweet little numbers), they are ideal for baked decorations, as the dough doesn’t rise. Unless you’re like me and put them in the oven with the eggplant that your partner is roasting…