Chestnut Baked Donuts: Fragrant & Tender
Making Baked Donuts with Chestnut
Try making these special baked donuts using homemade sour cream and sweet glazed chestnuts! Baked donuts offer a lighter, more refreshing alternative to fried ones, and the baking process is generally easier. Infused generously with chestnut paste, these donuts boast a subtle yet deep chestnut aroma and a melt-in-your-mouth tender texture that’s simply delightful. This recipe uses up the last of my homemade glazed chestnuts for the year! Whether you decide to make more or not, these light and enjoyable baked chestnut donuts are perfect with a warm cup of coffee or tea. Let’s bake them together!
Ingredients (for 11-12 donuts)- 150g cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 80g sugar
- 25g honey
- 2/3 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 120g chestnut paste
- 100g sour cream (room temperature)
- 35g butter
- 70g glazed chestnuts (for filling)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, gently pat the glazed chestnuts dry with paper towels and chop them into small pieces, about 1cm in size. This ensures they mix evenly into the batter and add a pleasant texture.
Step 2
Melt the butter completely by microwaving it in short bursts (20-30 seconds). Stir in the vanilla extract to add a fragrant aroma. Mix well.
Step 3
In a bowl, combine the room-temperature sour cream and chestnut paste. Mix them thoroughly with a spatula or whisk until smooth and free of lumps. Pre-mixing these ingredients makes them easier to incorporate into the batter later.
Step 4
Grease your donut pan thoroughly with a thin layer of room-temperature butter (an extra amount not listed in the ingredients). Then, sift cake flour into the pan and gently tap out any excess. This step prevents the donuts from sticking to the pan, ensuring a clean release.
Step 5
Crack the room-temperature egg into a separate bowl. Add the sugar and salt. These ingredients help balance the flavor and reduce any eggy smell.
Step 6
Whisk the egg mixture using a hand mixer or a whisk until it becomes pale yellow and has increased in volume by about 2 to 3 times. It should reach a creamy, ivory color. Thorough whisking is crucial for achieving a soft and fluffy donut texture.
Step 7
Add the pre-mixed sour cream and chestnut paste mixture to the well-whisked egg base. Gently mix with a whisk until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage, as it can deflate the air bubbles – aim to mix until it’s just incorporated before adding the dry ingredients.
Step 8
Next, pour in the melted and slightly cooled butter mixture. Gently stir with a whisk until fully incorporated. Ensure the butter is evenly distributed throughout the batter without any cold pockets.
Step 9
Sift the cake flour and baking powder together. Add them to the batter in two or three additions, mixing gently with a whisk until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing; lightly folding is key to maintaining a tender crumb.
Step 10
Once the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated, add the chopped glazed chestnuts. Switch to a spatula and gently fold them into the batter until everything is evenly distributed and the batter is smooth. Be careful not to break the chestnuts.
Step 11
Your delicious chestnut donut batter is now ready to be baked. It looks wonderfully appetizing!
Step 12
Transfer the finished batter into a piping bag. Using a piping bag makes it easy to fill the donut molds neatly and evenly.
Step 13
Pipe the batter into the prepared donut molds, filling each cavity only about 60% full. Overfilling can cause the donuts to overflow during baking. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown. To check for doneness, insert a skewer into the center of a donut; it should come out clean. Once removed from the oven, let the donuts cool in the pan for 1-2 minutes before carefully demolding them. Finally, cool completely on a wire rack to complete your fragrant and tender baked chestnut donuts!
