Having grown up in South Australia, I love a good doughnut – preferably from the Port Elliot Bakery, preceded by a pie and a long day at the beach. This recipe (adapted from Delicious magazine) provides a healthier alternative to your typical doughnut. Rather than being deep-fried, they are baked, and contain much less fat as a result. They are also seriously delicious, especially when paired with melted dark chocolate, flaked almonds and a light cinnamon and sugar rub.

Ingredients: 

2.5 tsp dried instant yeast

60ml warmed milk

1/2 cup caster sugar

3 1/4 cups plain flour

2/3 cup low fat milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

Pinch of salt

Doughnut topping

100ml low fat milk, plus extra to glaze

200g dark chocolate

3/4 cup caster sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

Flaked almonds, to serve

Method:

1. Combine yeast and warm milk with 1 tsp of the sugar in a bowl. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until frothy.

2. Combine flour, remaining sugar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook attached. Add in the yeast mixture, milk, egg and butter and knead on a low speed for 5 minutes until smooth.

3. Place dough in a bowl sprayed with oil and cover with cling wrap. Set aside in a warm place for 1.5 hours until doubled in size.

4. Once risen, turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knock back, then roll into a sausage and cut into equal sized portions (you should get roughly 10 pieces). Roll each piece into a ball and place on baking trays covered with baking paper.

5. Slightly flatten each ball, and using a 3cm round cutter, remove the centres of the dough. You can then make extra doughnuts from the cut outs. Repeat until you have used up all of your dough (throw in a few mini doughnut balls if need be – they will certainly be eaten!)

6. Set aside in a warm place for another 45 minutes until risen.

7. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. Bake the doughnuts for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden and cooked through. When baked, transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool whilst you create the toppings.

8. Place chocolate (chopped into small pieces) in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan 1/4 full of simmering water. Stir chocolate until melted and remove from heat, allow to cool slightly. Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.

9. Dip a pastry brush in milk and baste the doughnuts. Roll the doughnuts in the sugar and cinnamon mixture, drizzle with melted chocolate and finish with a sprinkle of flaked almonds. Serve warm and enjoy!