I love donuts and sweet bread. In fact, almost every week I have all kinds of sweets in the house, because we enjoy eating a fluffy and fragrant slice with every cup of tea, I can say it's the favorite snack of the entire family. We are passionate about sweet bread with all kinds off fillings; but the most beloved is the one with walnuts, and I have a special affinity for the simple sweet bread, without any stuffing, possibly with pieces of lemon peel through dough and no more. So I thought of making some donuts from the a part of the dough.

Even if it's the first time you dare to make a leavened dough, I'll tell you: don't hesitate! this recipe will surely turn out good and will give you a lot of confidence for the more complicated pastry projects. If you have a bread machine or robot, kneading will be even easier.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR DOUGH:

• 600 gr flour
• 300 ml soy milk
• 20 gr of fresh yeast
• 100 ml of oil
• 5 tablespoons of agave / maple syrup
• 1 vial / 2 ml vanilla essence
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric (for color, optional)
• 1 teaspoon lemon peel (optional)

FOR FILLING:

• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 200 gr nuts
• 200 gr dehydrated pitted dates (that need to be re-hydrated for 2 hours in worm water)

FOR TOPPING:

• a little coconut flour

• Optional ingredients: lemon peel, turmeric and coconut flour .

Let's start:

The most important step is sifting the flour into a bowl.

Heat the soy milk, until it's a bit warm, be careful not to overheat.
Put the fresh yeast in the warm soy milk and stir well until the yeast dissolves.

I've put all the ingredients for the dough into the bread maker bowl.

First add the liquid ingredients: soy milk mixed with fresh yeast, oil, agave syrup, vanilla, salt, lemon peel, turmeric and lastly flour.

I forgot to mention that the salt is mixed with the flour so that it does not come into direct contact with the yeast.

Put the bowl with the ingredients prepared in the bread machine and start the kneading and growing program.
It should take about an hour and 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, we will prepare the stuffing: Put the nuts in a kitchen robot and mix until they crumble.
We'll repeat the process for our dates.

Put the ground walnuts in a bowl and then add the dates and cocoa.

Homogenize the composition and leave aside. Until we'll need, it will harden quite well.

Once the dough has doubled its volume, overturn it on a work plane with a fine oil coat.

Divides into two equal parts (if you make 2 loaves) or leaves in one piece if you plan to only make one. I divided the dough in three parts, the third being for the donuts and the rest made into two sweet bread, which I baked in two 26 × 12 cm shapes.

Each portion is stretched by a wooden rolling pin, until the diameter of the sheet is as large as the bread tray.

On each piece I distributed half an inch of nut filling in an equal layer, trying to leave around the dough about 2 cm without filling. Roll the sweet bread as tightly as possible, bringing the edges inward so that the filling is well isolated and put in the prepared tray that has been sprinkled with some oil.

Let it rest for 10 minutes in the tray.

Now we'll bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes at 180 ° C / 350 ° F

Now we'll stretch another sheet from which we'll make the donuts.

Once you have stretched the dough sheet, you give it the desired shape with a special cutter or a glass.

Removes the dough from the shape obtained and forms another pile from which you'll cut other donuts, repeating the first step.

Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with at least 2 inches of oil. Heat to medium-high heat. Carefully lower a few donuts into the oil. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning a few times, until the donuts are a light golden brown and cooked through.

Remove with slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel.
Repeat with the remaining donuts.
Be sure to keep the temperature consistent while frying.

Let them cool slightly before sprinkle the coconut flour on the top for a nice look.

I just finished with the donuts and now the sweet bread it's baked too!

Here's the final product, a sugar free, healthy and tasty treat for the little ones or for impressing your holidays guests. I hope you'll enjoy eating it as much as I enjoy cooking <3