Samoa Baked Donuts

I have found it, my true soul of the baking world, beautiful to photograph, ridiculously simple to make and so indescribably special to eat. Samoa baked donut, you are mine forever.

I could eat the whole dozen in one day, I'm serious, but alas, it's my turn to bring something in for 'mystery cake day' at school tomorrow (just a random arrangement between me and my friend), so these donuts are fated to be eaten by others instead.

(...Could I eat some more and pretend that I only made a half batch?)

They are just so incredibly amazing, the donut is soft and fluffy, the chocolate is slightly bitter and the caramel...oh the caramel... it's a godsend. If you have the time, I strongly recommend that you make it yourself using coconut milk, it's completely worth it. But if you're pressed for time, go for the easier method so you can get your samoa fix quicker.

They're the perfect size too, large enough to just last through that cup of coffee, and not so big that you can't eat them at 11 o'clock ;) 

I made them using my diy donut pan method (which I made a little smaller this time) and they were the perfect size for a batch of 12 mini donuts (I think about 4-6 cm in diameter). Feel free to make them in a larger donut pan, however, you would get less donuts (nooo!) and you'd have to bake them a little longer. Plus small things are extra awesome. 

Just promise me that you'll make these, okay? Yeah, promise?

Great, enjoy!

Samoa Baked Donuts

makes 12 mini donuts

1 cup (4.6 oz / 130g) flour

3/4 tsp active dry yeast

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

pinch of baking soda

1/4 cup (2 oz / 55g) butter

6 tbsp sugar

1 small egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp yogurt

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Caramel coconut topping (easy method)

From Baking Bites

(or make 1/2 a batch of this coconut caramel!)

6 oz (170g) soft caramels

1-2 tbsp milk

1/4 desiccated coconut 

3.5 oz (100g) dark chocolate

Stir together the flour, yeast, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a small bowl, set aside. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and grease a mini donut pan (or learn how to make your own here, just make the foil donut shape about 5 cm in diameter).

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Then beat in the egg, vanilla and yogurt. 

Stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then mix in half the milk. Repeat this until you've added all of the flour mixture and the milk. 

Pipe the mixture into the prepared donut pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes while you put everything away.

Bake the donuts for 10-15 minutes until puffy and golden brown. Remove the donuts from the pan after 5 minutes, and put them on a cooling rack.

For the caramel coconut topping (easy method): 

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Put the unwrapped caramels and milk in a small sauce pan and heat gently whilst stirring until the caramels have completely melted (alternatively you can melt them in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl : heat on high for 2 minutes, remove the bowl and stir the mixture, then return to the microwave for a further 1 - 2 minutes and stir again). 

Spread the desiccated coconut out on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes, stirring it often, until it becomes a slight golden-beige colour. Stir the toasted coconut into the caramel. You might have to gently reheat this mixture to keep it fluid enough for dipping, but if you work quickly, you should be fine.

Dip the top of a donut (carefully!) into the caramel topping, turn it right side up, and place on the cooling rack  (you can spoon any extra caramel on now, that's cool with me). Repeat until all the donuts have been dipped. Whilst the caramel cools, melt the chocolate.
Either melt it in the microwave, in a microwave safe bowl, for about 1 minute, stirring it every 30 seconds;
or put it in a heat proof bowl, then place the bowl over a gently simmering pan of water and stir the chocolate until it's completely.

Line a cookie sheet with grease proof paper. Dip the very bottom of each donut into the chocolate and place them on the lined cookie sheet. Then take a fork and drizzle them with the remaining chocolate. Let the chocolate cool and set at room temperature, then store in an airtight container (just fyi, they're best on the day you make them)