Peas? Yes, really! We use lots of vegetables and fruits to add natural sweetness to our baking, so why not peas? They are unusual, but rather fun, I think. These doughnuts are equally delicious dipped in chocolate glaze. Garnish with frozen peas for added texture.
Baked Vanilla & Pea Doughnuts
MAKES 12
7 ounces gluten-free flour blend No. 2
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1⁄2 teaspoons monk fruit extract powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup frozen baby green peas, thawed, plus extra to garnish
1 cup almond meal
1⁄2 cup whole milk
3 1⁄2 ounces butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
1⁄3 cup apple purée
2 eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 tablespoon slivered pistachios
AVOCADO COCONUT ICING
1 ripe avocado, chopped
1 tablespoon coconut powder
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice, plus extra if needed
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 320°F (convection). Generously grease two 6-hole, 1⁄3 cup capacity doughnut tins with melted butter. (If you don’t have two tins, don’t worry, they will be fine cooked in two batches.)
Sift the flour, baking powder, monk fruit extract powder and salt together into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the peas, almond meal, milk, butter, apple purée, eggs and vanilla extract and stir until combined.
Put the batter in a piping bag fitted with a 1⁄2-inch plain nozzle (or use a large zip- lock bag with the corner snipped off) and pipe the mixture into the prepared doughnut holes (alternatively, you can spoon the batter in). Fill each hole about 2⁄3 full.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until well- risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Carefully loosen the doughnuts and turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the avocado coconut icing, mash and stir the avocado until smooth. Add the coconut powder and lime juice and mix well. Add a little more lime juice to adjust the flavour balance and consistency, if necessary.
Spread the cooled doughnuts with the icing and sprinkle with the pistachios and extra peas. Serve immediately.
Recipe excerpted Natural Bakes. The newest cookbook by Caroline Griffiths features a variety of delicious treats, all made sans refined sugar and gluten.
