MINI MAPLE SPICED DOUGHNUTS WITH MOLASSES GLAZE (Gluten & dairy-free)

I think it’s safe to say Summer is officially over.  It’s  just a little too cold at night for a t-shirt & naturally I’m craving anything spiced. These mini doughnuts are my first transitional treat into the flavors of Fall.  Now that we can all use our ovens happily without resenting it, I think it's time to get baking.  Most of my Summer was spent off-the-oven-grid, making simple salads and avoiding overheating my tiny apartment.  I'm easing into it this time as I know we'll have many (MANY!) months of roasted vegetables, winter squash and soups.  So, for now, something a little spiced for the changing of seasons.

Maple SPICED Doughnuts WITH MOLASSES GLAZE (gluten-free, dairy-free) makes 12 mini doughnuts

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup sorghum flour 
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil (liquified)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 large eggs

Maple Molasses Glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • A sprinkle of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together first 8 ingredients.  In a separate mixing bowl, mix together maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, ginger & coconut oil.  Using a spatula, fold wet ingredients into the dry until well-combined.  

Carefully add the batter to a large ziplock bag & snip a 1/2 inch hole in the corner.  Use this to pipe the batter into a greased doughnut pan (I used this one).  Fill each one until it’s flush with the top of the pan, but does not come above it (they will rise!).  Bake for exactly 10 minutes & then cool for 5 minutes.  Continue until all the batter is gone.  It will make two batches of mini doughnuts.

To make the glaze: add confectioners sugar to a small mixing bowl & whisk until smooth without lumps.  Then, add almond milk, molasses, maple, vanilla & cinnamon.  Whisk until smooth & thick.  If the glaze is too thin, add more sugar & if too thick, add more milk.  Once desired consistency, dip each doughnut in and let the excess drip off.  Continue until all doughnuts are glazed.  Serve & eat immediately!

SOUR CHERRY & STRAWBERRY WALNUT OAT CRUMBLE

Summer has been busy & full of amazing produce.  I know I'm not the only New Yorker freaking out at the farmer's market every weekend.  As usual, I have too much food in the house & not enough people to cook for.  The fruit right now is out of this world (peaches! sugarplums! currants!), and I can't stop making fruit desserts, shrubs, compotes, etc.  I don't know what I would do if I lived in California and had perfect produce all year round.  I probably wouldn't leave the house.

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending the day with James Hartley & romping around the farmer's market & Brooklyn.  Eater wrote a lovely write-up & I made my go-to dessert with two of my favorite fruits.  

JIB_2507.0.JPG

Sour Cherry & Strawberry Oat Crumble (vegan & gluten-free) Serves 4

Filling:

  • 2 cups strawberries, quartered
  • 2 cups sour cherries, pitted
  • Squeeze of lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
  • 1/4 cup turbinado or coconut sugar 
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons tapioca/arrowroot starch 

Mix together all ingredients and stir to macerate berries/cherries. Set aside. 

Crumble :

  • 1 1/4 cup gluten-free quick cooking oats
  • 1/3 cup sorghum flour
  • 2/3 cup almond meal
  • 2/3 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 2/3 cup brown or coconut sugar 
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 4 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening, cut into cubes 
  • Raw sugar to top

Whisk together first seven ingredients until well combined. Using your hands, mix in coconut oil and shortening until crumble resembles an oatmeal cookie dough. 

Add filling to a Pyrex dish or pie pan. Layer crumble evenly over top & sprinkle with raw sugar to top. 

Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes or until crumble is browned on top and fruit is bubbling around the sides.  Set aside to cool for 20 minutes, then serve warm.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE LOVELY JAMES HARTLEY

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB YOGURT CAKE

I don't have a lot of "food memories" from my childhood.   I didn't have a grandmother who taught me her famous pie crust, or a mother who made fresh pasta every week.  There wasn't that kind of connection to food, or as far as I can remember.  We were average, like most - just trying to feed ourselves well enough.  

I do remember Summers though.   As I kid, the warmer months could be memorialized by my constant stomach aches from too many plums (we had a tree - ugh, California..) or too many strawberries.  My mom would buy huge crates of fruit from some farmstand & I would eat most of it before my sisters even saw it.  I'm not sure I ate much else between the months of May-August.

Fruit desserts are my actual favorite to this day.  There's something so refreshing & lovely about them in the warmer months, especially when you can't (physically) eat any more fresh fruit.  I can still put down almost half a moderately-sized watermelon if I wanted, but for the most part - I bake.  Curbs the Summer aches & is much better for sharing with others.

Strawberry Rhubarb Yogurt Cake  - Adapted from Cannelle et Vanille (gluten-free)

| This cake can be made with any seasonal fruit - It would be great with Sour Cherries or red currants! |

  • 1 cup almond meal or flour
  • 3/4 cup brown rice flour
  • 3/4 cup sorghum flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot or tapioca flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
  • 4oz. rhubarb stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 oz. strawberries, chopped
  • 2 oz. raspberries
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
  • 1/4 cup ghee or butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all flours, baking powder, and salt until well combined.  In another mixing bowl, mix together lemon zest & 1/2 cup sugar with your fingers until mixed well & fragrant.  Add rhubarb stalks & berries to stir & gently macerate.  In a small bowl, stir together lemon juice & yogurt and set aside.

Add eggs, butter and yogurt to whisked flour mixture.  Stir until mixed well.  At the last minute, mix in berries & rhubarb until well combined.

Grease an 8-inch springform cake pan well.  Pour cake batter and spread top evenly with a spatula.  Sprinkle remaining sugar over top.  Bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean & the edges are golden brown.  Let cool for 25 minutes before removing from pan.  

This post was originally shot for H&M!