Cinnamon Bun Doughnuts

After running a Twitter poll, the Internet told me that I should either bake cinnamon buns or doughnuts on the weekend. Not am I always only going to make all important decisions via Twitter polls from this point forward, it's also reassuring to see that, like me, many people can't choose between the two. They both had pretty much the same number of votes.

I mean, cinnamon buns or doughnuts? How can you possibly choose between the two?

And so, like many other fully fledged adults, I chose the sensible, responsible answer. That answer being trying my very hardest to combine the two. Life is about balance and compromise afterall.

Without further ado, I present to you...cinnamon bun doughnuts.

Soft cinnamon baked doughnuts covered in a cinnamon glaze, cinnamon crumbs and maple vanilla drizzle.

Whilst cinnamon buns are still pretty fancy, I'm kind of sold on the idea that you can make baked doughnuts in under 30 minutes. No folding and overnight proving required here.

C I N N A M O N   B U N   D O U G H N U T S
(Makes 6 regular or 12 mini doughnuts)

Cinnamon doughnuts:

175g plain flour

2tbsp corn flour

1tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

75g caster sugar

1tsp ground cinnamon

80ml buttermilk

1 egg

1tbsp butter, melted

Cinnamon crumbs:

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Cinnamon icing:

240g icing sugar

2tbsp milk

1tsp cinnamon

Maple vanilla icing:

240g icing sugar

1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees and thoroughly grease a doughnut pan.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl to remove any lumps. Set aside.
3. In another, smaller bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg and melted butter until bubbly.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk together until smooth.
5. Pour the batter into a piping bag, snip off the end and fill the doughnut pan, about two thirds full.
6. Bake in the oven for 7-9 minutes, until the doughnuts have puffed up and start to turn golden.
7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan for 2 minutes for the doughnuts to firm up. Then tip onto a wire rack to cool fully.
8. To make the cinnamon crumbs, combine the ingredients and rub between your fingers until the mix comes together into a breadcrumb type form.
9. For the cinnamon icing, sift the icing sugar and cinnamon into a bowl before whisking in the milk.
10. For the maple vanilla icing, again, sift the icing sugar into a bowl before whisking in the maple syrup and vanilla. Pour into a piping bag ready for drizzling.

To assemble:

Dip the cooled doughnuts into the cinnamon icing and sprinkle over cinnamon crumbs to stick. Leave for 15 minutes for the icing to set before finishing with a good drizzle of the maple vanilla icing. 

These doughnuts are best served fresh, but at a push can be made the day before and assembled on the day needed.

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Recipe: Spelt Waffles & January Waffle

Over the week I've enjoyed a few leisurely breakfasts with a few leisurely days off. My favourite breakfast being these spelt waffles with banana, currants and maple syrup. 

I also got the chance to try out my new waffle iron which was chosen specifically for the shape of waffles it makes. 

Taking stock of the month of January, here are a few other favourites...

A chilly 24 hours in Berlin including Boy, bratwurst and burgers. 

A lazy lunch in Reigate, having a mooch around the shops and a stop of at Cullenders for pea and bacon soup and the best flat white I've had for a while. Including an obligatory stop at Chalk Hill bakery to pick up a loaf or two to take home. 

Making the perfect snickerdoodles. Probably won't be long before there's a dog with a similar name, that's what they're doing with breeds these days, right?

Hearing in the news that a French court has overruled parents naming their child Nutella and named their child Ella instead for them. How considerate. 

That picture of a Daschund reading Jamie Oliver's Comfort Food on the loo. 

A visit to Joe's Southern Kitchen to start this year's chicken escapades. Could this replace my love of burgers?

Friendly deliveries from Abel & Cole and Ocado. They've got it just right. 

And whilst we're talking food (always) some of my favourite recipes from some friendly bloggers include Rosie's spicy chicken pho and Lucy's chocolate chip cookie dippers. 

And if you're looking for the waffle recipe, you can find it here. Regular flour would work also. 

Upside-down Banana Cake with Maple-caramel Sauce

The sun may still be out (slightly), but as far as I'm concerned, we're well into pecan, maple and cinnamon season! When searching for a way to use up some overripe bananas I found this recipe, jumped straight into the car to get supplies and got straight in the kitchen.

I'm pretty sure you could make this in a large cake/tart tin if you don't have a big enough square serving plate. I didn't, so opted to serve it on a baking sheet!

Upside-down banana cake with maple-caramel sauce
(Recipe adapted from BBC Good Food)

100g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
8tbsp maple syrup
3 small overripe bananas and 1 very overripe banana
200g soft dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
2tsp vanilla extract
200g self-raising flour
100g pecans, roughly chopped
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp ground cinnamon
200g pot full-fat Greek yogurt, plus extra (or vanilla ice cream) to serve

For the sauce:
100g whole pecans
100g salted butter, diced
100ml double cream
100ml maple syrup

Heat the oven to 160 degrees and grease and line the bottom of a 20cm square tin.

Pour half the maple syrup (4tbsp) over the bottom of the tin, swirl around to give a good coating. Peel and chop the 3 ripe bananas in half and slice lengthways and place cut side down in the tin.

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the eggs and the final very ripe banana, mixing gently. Tip the flour and pecans into a blender and blitz together until the pecans are ground. Stir the flour into the butter mixture and add the bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon. Fold in the yogurt.

Carefully spoon over the bananas, smooth the top with a spatula and bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour. A skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean.

To make the sauce, toast the pecans for a few minutes in a pan before adding the rest of the ingredients. Cook on a low heat until all of the butter has melted. Leave to bubble for a further 5 minutes whilst the sauce thickens.

Once the cake is cooked and straight from the oven, poke it half way down with a  skewer all over. Pour over the remaining 4tbsp of maple syrup and leave it to soak in for a few minutes. Upturn the cake onto a serving plate. Reheat the sauce, and serve with Greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream.

Maple Syrup & Coffee Pancake Cupcakes

After a bit of a foodie week last week, I have high hopes for the same again this week. Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday after all...if you needed an excuse.