Vegan or not, this happens to be my favorite red velvet cake ever.  It’s intensely soft and moist with just a subtle kiss of cacao, dripping with a lemony, buttery frosting that ends any meal on a high note.

This is my 100% natural red velvet cake baked with better for you ingredients like healthier fats, less sugar and no fake colors or artificial anything.  I’ve experimented with both spelt and whole wheat flour in this recipe and the spelt is almost undetectable for me while the whole wheat creates a denser texture and slightly nuttier taste.  If a deeper crimson shade is what you’re after, you can certainly add more color than I did.  I used 20 drops of this vegan plant based gel color and think another round would achieve a closer color match but what I did enjoy is that it didn’t alter the taste or consistency of my batter.

The key to vegan-izing this classic is to impart the same rich depth and flavor as its brightly hued counterpart all while keeping it clean and plant based.  Any plant milk can be substituted for this recipe in a pinch but for incredible results, the full fat roundness of canned coconut milk brings a buttery quality to the cake while the vinegar reacts with the baking soda to create a beautiful tenderness.

Vegan Red Velvet Cake – 100% Natural Recipe

 

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 4″ cake

Ingredients

• ½ c unbleached flour
• ¼ ts baking soda
• 1¼ ts raw cacao
• ⅛ ts salt
• ¼ c stirred canned coconut milk
• 1 tb vinegar
• 1 ts vanilla extract
• 1 tb + 1 ts unrefined coconut oil
• ¼ c sugar
• Red color*

Frosting

• 2 tb + 2 ts earth balance
• ¼ c powdered sugar
• ½ ts vanilla extract
• ⅛ ts salt
• Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. For the dry ingredients, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cacao and salt. Set aside.
2. For the wet ingredients, combine the coconut milk and vinegar. Set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Add the vanilla, coconut oil and sugar to the “buttermilk.”
4. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet in batches. Do not over mix. A few lumps are just fine.
5. Divide into two 4″ springform pans and bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes. Cool completely.
6. For the frosting, cream the earth balance and powdered sugar together until creamy.
7. Stir in the vanilla, salt and lemon zest.
8. Assemble and decorate as desired.

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I’m back on Youtube!  Internet returned last Friday and I’m excited to finally be able to produce videos for you guys again.  Our little spot was without internet for 6 months, without electricity for 4.5 months and without phone service for 4 and it’s surreal to be able to play music while I video edit, send out an email without a glitch, or watch netflix with my partner to unwind at night.  I find something new to be grateful for every day.

It’s part of what I talk about in my video today.  It includes a little update, an announcement, a recipe, beach time and a mini “what I eat.”

No-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bites

 

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 1 dozen

Ingredients

• ½ c dates
• ½ cup quick oats
• 1 tablespoons ground flax
• 2 teaspoons ceylon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon nut milk
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup raisins

Instructions

1. In a food processor, pulse to break up the dates.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, minus the raisins until the mixture begins to clump together.
3. Either fold in the raisins by hand or quickly pulse them in to the mixture.
4. Roll out into “bliss ball” bites.
5. I made about a dozen teaspoon balls.

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These oatmeal raisin cookie bites actually came to fruition one day when I was craving cookies but too tired to bake.  They came together in 10 minutes flat, completely sweetened by raisins and dates and tasted so spot on that I’ve been making them ever since whenever the craving for oatmeal raisin cookies hit.  I’ve taken these along with me on numerous hikes and beach days with success and they are little bites of energy and satisfaction.  My favorite part is probably how sweet and gooey they are.  For optimal taste and an added benefit, I highly recommend using ceylon cinnamon for this.  This is what they call true cinnamon and when studies are done on the benefits of cinnamon, it’s not the widely available imitation cinnamon they speak of.

I’ve also used this as a crust for my raw vegan cheesecake which will be featured in my new upcoming e-book, Beginner Vegan.  It’s also excellent as a topping for smoothie or cereal bowls.

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*WE ARE CURRENTLY DEALING WITH HURRICANE IRMA HERE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. WE WILL MOST LIKELY NOT HAVE SERVICE FOR AWHILE BUT I WILL MAKE SURE TO UPDATE ALL ON FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM WHEN IT RETURNS. PLEASE SEND PRAYERS AND GOOD VIBES. I LOVE YOU AND I’LL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE!*

Garlic butter breadsticks are soft, fluffy and buttery. These are quite simple to make and are special enough to serve on their own or to accompany any meal.

Several years ago, when my then husband and I first started dating, one of the things that made me one smitten kitten was that he knew his way around the kitchen.  Not only that, his approach to cooking dramatically differed from mine so it was nice to come together as a complimentary team.  His attitude towards it is that it should come together low and slow {the longer, the better}, making a bubbling cauldron of something magical.  I however, do not have the patience for this.  I’m all about quick and efficient meals.  So the first time we made a collaborative effort to put supper on the table, he made his famous bolognese which took all day just to create the sauce and I offered up these breadsticks which took all of 20 minutes of actual effort.

These garlic butter breadsticks come together with less than 10 ingredients {several being optional} without the need of a mixer.  You probably have all of these ingredients laying around anyway and without the ritual dousing of garlic and butter, what is created are still soft and fluffy clouds.  Actually, the fatter you roll these, the fluffier they become.  I happened to forget about my dough and stashed it in the fridge for a a couple days too long and it deflated a bit and still, they baked up with those beautiful little inner bubbles.

As when I first made them for my husband almost 5 years ago, I often like to serve these with a saucy dish.  These garlic butter breadsticks are a perfect vehicle for soaking up those last remaining puddles of sauce.  However, they also make an excellent snack or appetizer as well.  In those cases, I like to pair it with my marinara, which makes its encore from my pizza video.  However way you serve it, there’s nothing quite like hot, fluffy bread, fresh from the oven.  I also like to think that it was part of what impressed my then boyfriend.  Go ahead and take credit for these babies.  I won’t tell anyone just how quick and easy they were.  It’ll be our little secret.

Garlic Butter Breadsticks

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 servings or 6-8 breadsticks

Ingredients

• ½ c warm water
• 1½ ts yeast
• 1½ c unbleached flour
• ¼ ts salt
• ½ ts sugar
• 2 tb melted salted butter
• 1 ts garlic powder
• 2 ts freshly grated cheese

Instructions

1. In a small dish, stir the water and yeast together, making sure that the water temperature doesn’t exceed past 110 degrees. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and sugar.
3. Stir in the liquid yeast.
4. Work the dough until it comes together neatly and the surface is no longer tacky. A wooden spoon is helpful here but you can also work it by hand.
5. Cover the dough and let rise for 1 hour.
6. When it’s ready, it will have doubled in size with many bubbles. Lightly sprinkle a silicone mat {for ease} using no more than 2-4 tablespoons of flour and roll out your shapes.
7. Stir the melted butter, garlic and cheese together. I used freshly grated parmigiano reggiano.
8. Bake at 450 for 6-8 minutes.

Notes

Prep time does not include the inactive 1 hour rise.

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Rainbow mochi cake is soft and tender with that quintessential rice cake chew but today, its presented in natural, food based rainbow colors for a fun mochi experience.

Today I’m sharing these soft, tender and springy rice cakes that come together with 4 different natural, food based colors to create a rainbow mochi.  Anyone close to me will tell you that I’ll pretty much eat anything but somehow, when it comes to artificial colors, I just can’t.  It feels beyond unnautral to consume such neon colors when such organic beauty can be found int nature.  If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know that I have a particular penchant for beets, as demonstrated in my naturally colored donut video.  That vivid flush gets me every time.  Of course, naturally based dyes aren’t always like that.  They’re not as scream-in-your-face-intense.  Rather, they’re often a softer, more subtler approach.  I actually find them to be more beautiful.  I like the thought of each part of my cake being entirely edible in that I know exactly what’s in it versus say, e120 that’s derived from a scale insect.  Seriously.  Even still, I’d probably ingest insects before a chemical that I can’t even pronounce.

As promised, here are a few natural food color sources.

• Red/Pink Options: Currants/Cranberries, Pomegranates, Cherries, Raspberries, Beets, Hibiscus Flowers/Tea, Red Wine
• Purple: Blueberries, Blackberries, Acai, Grape Juice
• Blue: Purple Cabbage {boil until it simmers, drain and add 1/2-1 tb of baking soda}.
• Green: Kale/Spinach, Spirulina, Matcha.
• Orange/Yellow: Carrots, Turmeric Powder, Saffron

Rainbow Mochi Cake

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 mini 4″ pans

Ingredients

• 1½ c sweet or glutinous rice flour
• 1 c sugar
• 1 ts baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 c room temperature coconut milk
• 1 ts pure vanilla
• ¼ c coconut oil
• 2 room temperature eggs
• 1 tb pure beet juice
• 1 tb pure blueberry juice
• ½ ts turmeric powder
• ½ ts spirulina powder

Instructions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the sweet rice flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. Add in the coconut milk, vanilla, coconut oil and eggs. Mix very well.
3. Divide the batter 4 ways.
4. To each bowl, add in the juices and powders, respectively.
5. Layer into 1 8″ springform pan or 2 4″ pans and bake at 375. My 2 4″ pans took 45 minutes. The 8″ pan will take about 1 hour and 15-30 minutes.

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Chocolate chip cookies, a completely normal topic of conversation for me and my friends. Out of curiosity, I asked several of my friends, family and colleagues what kind of chocolate chip cookies they preferred and the results were very contrasting.  One camp stood firm for their love of thick and tender cookies while the other held their ground for a cookie that should be buttery and crisp to withstand a liberal milk-dunking.  As for me?  I almost want to insist on a name that can differentiate both cookies, aside from just “chocolate chip cookie.”  I find merit in both but find that each type of cookie has its own qualities to enjoy.  There’s a time and place for my soft and chewy cookies but there are also cravings to be met with these crispy cookies that just melt in your mouth.

These cookies have a light and crisp buttery crumb with an oh-so-satisfying crunch when you bite into them.  Granulated sugar and egg white help with that.  Aside from those two, there are only 5 more ingredients remaining to be whipped up into a creamy batter that you smear into thin disks.  These bake evenly and allow a flat platform to be dotted with chocolate.  As they bake, the edges go golden brown and after they’ve been pulled out of the heat, they cool into light, almost ethereal biscuits.  Like I said, they’re gratifying in their own manner.

Since I get asked so often, I demonstrated again how you can work with recipes like this one without any fancy equipment.  I used 2 bowls and a spatula.  Two things to keep in mind are to properly cream the butter and sugar, meaning that the sugar granules get suspended in the fat by being mashed together until it results in a fluffy, pale yellow mass which you then beat the egg white into.  There should be no globs of egg streaking the yellow.  Second is to keep a light hand while mixing in the dry ingredients.  Only mix to combine, no more.  By avoiding over developing the gluten strands of the flour, you prevent a dense end product and create a delightfully light and crisp one instead.

Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 c unbleached flour
• ¼ ts salt
• ⅔ c unsalted softened butter
• ⅔ c granulated sugar
• 1 room temperature egg white
• ½ ts pure vanilla extract
• ½ c semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In the first bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Set aside.
2. In the second bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg white and vanilla.
4. Sprinkle the first bowl of dry ingredients in batches to the second, wet ingredients bowl. Mix until just combined.
5. Scoop out tablespoon portions of the dough onto parchment or a silicone mat.
6. Spread each one out into a flat, even disk.
7. Dot the tops of each cookie with several chocolate chips.
8. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

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Japanese matcha cheesecake are fluffy airy cakes, kissed with matcha and a gentle sweetness.  These are cotton soft, light as air and melt in your mouth.

My Japanese cotton soft cheesecake has an encore today with these fluffy matcha cheesecakes.  Unlike American cheesecake, these have an incredibly fluffy crumb, melt in your mouth and are part chiffon, part sponge and completely delicious {hence the “cotton soft” part}.  I won’t lie to you.  These aren’t the easiest cakes in the world.  On my channel, I have entire playlists dedicated for recipes with 2-3 ingredients, fast and easy or no bake ones.  You won’t find this one on those.  However, what it lacks in agility, it more than compensates with its rich, tender bite that’s truly unlike any other.

Eggs whisked into the submission of soft peaks lends these baby cakes their natural lift.  When folded into the pale jade batter, it creates this gorgeous volume that transfers into the finished product, making for a fiercely fluffy crumb.  These are light, airy and oh so soft!  A quiet infusion of matcha blends to impart a soft green tea cheesecake flavor.  That’s precisely the beauty of this recipe.  Each element is subtle and works together for a delicate dessert.  It has a smooth sweetness while the entire cake itself is finely scented with matcha but it still maintains its original claim as a cheesecake.  It just happens to be the softest, most silky and feather light cheesecake you’ve ever had.

The usual suspects for cheesecake are involved in the mix with dairy, eggs, sweetener and citrus {which I truly believe is a definite must have for all cheesecakes}.  Where it begins to deviate is through the addition of cake flour, corn starch and the billowy power of  beaten egg whites.  I chose to use caster sugar here as its fine grain helps to melt much easier.  It’s just nice to have around in general since it doesn’t need the aid of heat to mix in to drinks and such.  Think of it as the middle man of granulated and powdered sugar.  If you don’t feel like going out and purchasing something special, you can certainly DIY by placing regular sugar into a spice/coffee grinder or food processor.  The cake flour and cornstarch also helps keep things light.

No one part of this cake is overwhelming.  It is light and gentle in nature and if you’ve never treated yourself to such a cake, I highly recommend it.  It also reminds me of the Asian bakery style cakes that are slathered in fresh cream and studded in glittering, glazed berries.  Which brings me to the point of versatility.  I whipped up tiny cakes today but they could certainly be transformed into a full size beauty by doubling up the recipe.  You could also drizzle each cake with white chocolate ganache which would be a nice pairing to the matcha.  However, it can also shine in the simplicity of a light snow fall of confectioners sugar and served with tea.

Japanese Matcha Cheesecake

 

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 6 cakes

Ingredients

• 4 oz room temperature cream cheese
• 2 tb room temperature butter
• 3 tb cream
• Zest of ½ lemon or ¼ orange
• Pinch of salt
• 3 room temperature eggs, separated
• Pinch of cream of tartar {if needed}
• ⅓ c caster sugar
• 3 tb cake flour
• 1.5 tb cornstarch
• ½ tb matcha

Instructions

1. In the first bowl, cream together the cheese, butter, cream, zest and salt. Add in the egg yolks. Set aside.
2. In the second bowl, sift together the flour, starch and matcha. It’s important to sift out the lumps.
3. Combine the first and second bowl. Take care not to over mix.
4. In the last bowl, beat the egg whites. You can add in the cream of tartar, if needed. When they get frothy, add in a bit of caster sugar in at a time. You are seeking soft peaks, meaning that when you lift the beaters, the points softly curl downwards.
5. Carefully add the egg whites into the batter. Fold it in carefully as to not deflate all of the air.
6. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes. My paper cups, portioned out to ⅓ cup each yielded 6 cakes.

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Butter mochi cakes are light, buttery rice cakes with just a few simple ingredients.

I first had the joy of sinking my teeth into butter mochi several years ago in Hawaii.  There are so many delicious culinary experiences from that trip but butter mochi stood out with its particular texture and simple pleasure.  It looks quite unassuming, like a nude vanilla cake but upon further investigation, it’s so much more.

Today, I bring you my recipe for soft and tender butter mochi that is only gently sweet with a rich, buttery flavor.  Oh, and don’t forget that characteristic chewy texture.  What I love about this recipe beyond the fact that it’s an incredibly easy one to make {seriously, it’s just combine, stir and bake}, it’s that it captures the best things about traditional mochi cake without the eternal pounding and stretching of the dough.  It affords you to be extra greedy and indulgent here.

Since the foundation of this recipe is sweet rice or glutinous rice flour, there’s no fear of over-mixing.  It actually may bode well to give it an extra stir or two.  On the subject of the sweet rice flour, it’s not actually sweet as the name implies.  Rather, it’s flour that’s been finely milled from the extra starchy sticky rice.  It’s what lends that oh so wonderful chew to these bars.  It’s this humble ingredient that allows the batter to be the least finicky one possible during the before and after process.  You can be as rough and tumble with it while constructing and after it’s been baked, it’s pliable and giving.  You don’t have to worry about tearing up the pieces or that it will sink or shatter like a traditional cake.  What it does instead is bounce and spring with the feel of almost  a sponge or fluffy cake hybrid.

It is a unique experience, all at once and I do hope you enjoy my recipe.  You can certainly stud its centers like I did with my LA baked rice cakes.  It’s been awhile since I’ve enjoyed these at tea with my mother who is stateside but it’s probably my favorite way to consume each little square.  How you dress them up is up to you.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Butter Mochi Cake

 

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 8×8 pan

Ingredients

• 1½ c sweet rice or glutinous rice flour
• 1 c sugar
• 1 ts baking powder
• 1 c coconut milk
• ¼ c melted butter
• 2 room temperature eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ts pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the sweet rice flour, sugar and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, combine the coconut milk, melted butter, eggs, salt and vanilla.
3. Add the second, wet bowl to the first, dry bowl.
4. Mix well to combine. Whisk for at least 5 minutes.
5. Pour into a lightly greased pan.
6. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour.

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Healthy fudge that’s loaded with antioxidants, good healthy fats and that’s low on the glycemic index?  Not to mention, it clocks in at just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep.  Count me in!

This is such a seemingly decadent sweet treat when I can’t ignore my craving for chocolate.  Not only is it fairly instant in its gratification, it’s pretty guilt-free and when enjoyed in fair doses, is actually good for you.  I tried downing a spoonful of coconut oil in the morning for awhile but it just didn’t agree with me.  It felt strange to do it and always felt stranger going down.  I’m happy to report that I found an easier and much more pleasurable way to regularly incorporate it into my diet, aside from stir fry’s and such.

The notion of chocolate that’s really good for you paired with the fact that it takes no more than 5 minutes to whip up both seem counterintuitive in nature but it’s the real deal.  When combining a few high quality ingredients, what you produce is a simple treat with 5 ingredients {and that’s if you’re counting the salt}!  They’re also vegan, paleo and refined sugar free.  I highly recommend using cold processed coconut oil for this {virgin and unrefined} since you’re taking it straight away without applying heat to it.  This helps preserve the integrity of the oil and its benefits.  The same thing goes for the cacao, the less processed sister of cocoa.  One little bag lasts me a lifetime {I only slightly exaggerate} and it goes into everything from face masks to puddings.  My girlfriend even uses it as a natural makeup bronzer that she mixes with cinnamon.  As for the sweetener, I would stick to a natural, liquid form.  You can use anything from agave to manuka honey to maple syrup.  A pinch of pink salt adds balance while pure vanilla rounds out the flavors while adding another dimension of floral sweetness.

As promised, here are my flavor variations.  For a peanut butter flavor, add in 1/4 c of peanut butter {or any other nut butter}.  For green tea, omit the cacao and add in the same amount of matcha powder.  For chocolate dipped strawberry, crush in a handful of freeze dried strawberries.  For mint chocolate, add in 1/8 ts of pure peppermint extract or even better, add in 1-2 drops of pure peppermint essential oil.  You could also stud these with nuts, goji berries, drizzle with salted date caramel….really, the options are endless.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Easy Healthy Fudge Recipe – 5 Ingredient 5 Minute Recipe

 

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 1 dozen minis

Ingredients

• ¼ c cold processed coconut oil
• ¼ c cacao powder
• 3 tb sweet rice syrup
• Pinch of pink Himalayan salt
• 1 ts pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the coconut oil and cacao together.
2. Add in the sweetener, salt and vanilla.
3. Pour into mini lined tins.
4. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Serve.

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The closest Krispy Kreme is over 100 miles away from St. Croix.  Having moved from their birth state and enjoying them regularly by the HOT dozen, this just wasn’t going to do.  I had to take matters into my own hands.  What I set out to do proved to be a difficult task to accomplish but several attempts later, I perfected my recipe and today, I bring you light, airy and fluffy donuts glazed with beautifully vivid {but natural!} colors.  The dough is a creamy/eggy one that puffs up before frying into a light golden brown that you’ll be happy to sink your teeth into.  Here is what I learned.

1. Don’t rush the kneading or proofing of the dough.  It may seem like laborious effort but do remember that most of the time involved is inactive rising time.  Make sure that you really work out the gluten strands of your dough by working it until it comes together and then some.  Two proofing periods yield fluffy donuts.
   1. This is a very sticky dough but creates soft, moist donuts.  You can use oiled hands or flour and a silicone mat to combat this but do not use more than 1/3 cup of flour after the dough has come together.
2. I found the sweet spot for frying to be at 375 degrees.  This ensures that your dough doesn’t absorb too much oil and that it cooks evenly.
   1. It’s best to use a cast iron pot if you have one.
   2. I like using grapeseed but have heard that peanut and canola work too.
   3. Don’t over crowd the pan.
   4.  Fry for 1-1.5 minutes on each side.
3. Drain well on paper before transferring to a cooling rack.  This way the paper wicks away excess oil from the donut then lifts them up so air can circulate around them and they don’t sit in a pool of fat.
4. Glaze warm or room temperature donuts to get it to really cling on.
5. Fresh donuts are best and these are best consumed the day of.

Light and Fluffy Donuts with Natural Glaze

 

Prep time

2 hours

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

2 hours 20 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 dozen donuts

Ingredients

• ½ ts instant yeast
• ½ c room temperature water
• ½ c room temperature whole milk
• 1 room temperature egg
• 3 tb coconut oil
• 2/5 c unbleached flour
• ⅓ c sugar
• ½ ts salt
• Neutral/high heat oil for frying

Glaze

• 1 c powdered sugar
• 2 tb beet or blueberry juice
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: pure vanilla extract
• Optional optional: edible flowers

Instructions

1. Stir the yeast into the water. Leave for 5-10 minutes.
2. Mix in milk, egg and coconut oil. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.
4. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry. Work the dough for at least 15 minutes. Cover the bowl and set aside for an hour or until the dough is double in size.
5. When ready, flour a silicone mat or another non-stick surface and roll out or flatten to ½”. Do not use more than ⅓ cup of extra flour. The dough is on the stickier side.
6. Cut out your desired shapes and place them on another non-stick surface. Allow these to rise for another hour.
7. When ready, heat the oil to 375 degrees and cook a few donuts at a time. Mine took only a minute on each side.
8. Lift each donut out of the oil when they’re done to drain off excess oil then lay on a paper towel to blot off the rest before finally resting them on a baking rack.
9. To make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, juice and salt together.
10. Dip each donut into the glaze while they’re warm or at room temperature.

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These light and fluffy donuts are vividly beautiful with food based colors and melt in your mouth.

The closest Krispy Kreme is over 100 miles away from St. Croix.  Having moved from their birth state and enjoying them regularly by the HOT dozen, this just wasn’t going to do.  I had to take matters into my own hands.  What I set out to do proved to be a difficult task to accomplish but several attempts later, I perfected my recipe and today, I bring you light, airy and fluffy donuts glazed with beautifully vivid {but natural!} colors.  The dough is a creamy/eggy one that puffs up before frying into a light golden brown that you’ll be happy to sink your teeth into.  Here is what I learned.

1. Don’t rush the kneading or proofing of the dough.  It may seem like laborious effort but do remember that most of the time involved is inactive rising time.  Make sure that you really work out the gluten strands of your dough by working it until it comes together and then some.  Two proofing periods yield fluffy donuts.
   1. This is a very sticky dough but creates soft, moist donuts.  You can use oiled hands or flour and a silicone mat to combat this but do not use more than 1/3 cup of flour after the dough has come together.
2. I found the sweet spot for frying to be at 375 degrees.  This ensures that your dough doesn’t absorb too much oil and that it cooks evenly.
   1. It’s best to use a cast iron pot if you have one.
   2. I like using grapeseed but have heard that peanut and canola work too.
   3. Don’t over crowd the pan.
   4.  Fry for 1-1.5 minutes on each side.
3. Drain well on paper before transferring to a cooling rack.  This way the paper wicks away excess oil from the donut then lifts them up so air can circulate around them and they don’t sit in a pool of fat.
4. Glaze warm or room temperature donuts to get it to really cling on.
5. Fresh donuts are best and these are best consumed the day of.

Light and Fluffy Donuts with Natural Glaze

 

Prep time

2 hours

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

2 hours 20 mins

 

Author: The Squishy Monster

Serves: 2 dozen donuts

Ingredients

• ½ ts instant yeast
• ½ c room temperature water
• ½ c room temperature whole milk
• 1 room temperature egg
• 3 tb coconut oil
• 2/5 c unbleached flour
• ⅓ c sugar
• ½ ts salt
• Neutral/high heat oil for frying

Glaze

• 1 c powdered sugar
• 2 tb beet or blueberry juice
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: pure vanilla extract
• Optional optional: edible flowers

Instructions

1. Stir the yeast into the water. Leave for 5-10 minutes.
2. Mix in milk, egg and coconut oil. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.
4. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry. Work the dough for at least 15 minutes. Cover the bowl and set aside for an hour or until the dough is double in size.
5. When ready, flour a silicone mat or another non-stick surface and roll out or flatten to ½”. Do not use more than ⅓ cup of extra flour. The dough is on the stickier side.
6. Cut out your desired shapes and place them on another non-stick surface. Allow these to rise for another hour.
7. When ready, heat the oil to 375 degrees and cook a few donuts at a time. Mine took only a minute on each side.
8. Lift each donut out of the oil when they’re done to drain off excess oil then lay on a paper towel to blot off the rest before finally resting them on a baking rack.
9. To make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, juice and salt together.
10. Dip each donut into the glaze while they’re warm or at room temperature.

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