Recipe: Doughnut Christmas Tree

When I visited the baking supply shop last week, I walked out with a brand new 12-hole doughnut pan. Since I was quite busy these few weeks, I was planning to use the new pan after the New Year but Hubby and the kids surprised me one afternoon when they got the pan out and baked us all some doughnuts. :) 

Doughnut Christmas Tree :)

Doughnuts (or donuts) are usually deep fried in oil, but with this pan, we can bake ours in the oven. The texture differs from a deep fried doughnut - it is more cake-like and dense and the plus point is that it is not so oily. According to Hubby, these are really easy to make - the kids helped with mixing the batter and then it is simply poured into the doughnut moulds and baked for 17 minutes in the preheated oven. I came down just in time for the doughnuts coming out of the oven, and I have to say they are best eaten when still warm. The kids quickly chomped down a few while the second batch was put in to the oven.

My kids always get excited when they get to wear their apron :)

I was scratching my head, thinking how I should style these doughnuts for photos. And Hubby came up with the brilliant idea of making an edible Christmas tree out of the doughnuts. Unfortunately by that time, we have already eaten quite a few of these doughnuts, so we could only make a 3-tier Christmas tree for this shoot. However, on Christmas day, you can try making a 5-tier Christmas tree, which I think would look really nice.

Simply stack the doughnuts up, then dust with snow powder. Snow powder is a non-melting form of icing (confectionary) sugar, and  it creates the illusion of a snowy white Christmas. It is better to use this as it retains its form for decorative purposes. Then, place a few other Christmas props around (more trees, Santas and presents) and you'll have a very festive and edible Christmas tree :)

Doughnut Christmas Tree

Recipe by Baby Sumo, donut recipe adapted from here

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 17 minutes per batch

Makes 12-18

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Oil to grease pans

For the topping (optional):
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

To garnish

Snow powder

1.Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease the 12-hole doughnut pan well with some oil.

2. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.

3. Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan. Repeat for remainder of the batter (which will make about 6-7 doughnuts).

4. For the topping, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.

5. Stack the doughnuts to form a Christmas tree (formation of 5-4-3-2-1 would work best). Dust with snow powder and decorate with some Christmas decorations.

Note: We reduced sugar from 1 1/2 cups to 3/4 cups. 

Note: Your children can help with mixing batter and measuring out ingredients (for older ones). 

I am submitting this to the "Baby Sumo's Christmas Recipes Collection 2013" event which I am hosting. You can link your recipes here.


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*This recipe was featured on Asian Food Channel's FB page on 24 December 2013.