Vegan Sourdough Doughnuts

Instructions

1. In a small pan, melt vegan butter over medium heat. Once melted, remove pan from heat and stir in non-dairy milk, water, coconut milk, and sugar to dissolve.
2. In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the dough hook blade, beat together starter, wet mixture and salt on low-medium speed to combine, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Reduce mixer to lowest speed and add 1/2 of flour (325g), and beat to combine, raising the speed as the flour incorporates. Repeat with another 325g of flour and beat until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour as needed, 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat for a total of 5-6 minutes until a soft smooth dough forms.
4. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead into a smooth ball, about 30 seconds. Put the dough into an oiled bowl and bulk rise until dough is puffy and has doubled in volume, about 8-10 hours. Make dough in the evening to rise overnight and fry doughnuts in the morning. You can also refrigerate the dough once it has risen until you are ready to to proceed to shaping and proofing.
5. Turn dough out onto and tied or floured surface and roll to about 1/2” thickness. Cut doughnuts using concentric circle cutters, about 2.5” circle for outer edge and 1“ circle for the center. Save centers to make doughnut holes. If making filled doughnuts do not cut out centers. Rework and roll scraps and repeat to cut more doughnuts.
6. Transfer doughnut cut-outs to floured baking sheets. Cover with kitchen towels and proof in a warm spot for about 1 hour until puffy.
7. About 10-15 minutes before doughnuts are done proofing heat oil in a deep-sided 8” cast iron or enameled or heavy bottomed pan to 375˚F.
8. Fry doughnuts in small batches until they are deep golden in color, about 45 seconds per side. If they are too delicate to pick up by hand, use a spatula to help pick them up and slide them into the oil. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to turn and lift doughnuts.
9. Transfer fried doughnuts to cooling racks (or paper towels) set over sheet pans to drain oil. USE CAUTION when working with hot oil. Have a bowl of ice water ready for burns.

Make Vanilla Bean Glaze:

1. Sift powdered sugar into bowl and whisk in milk and vanilla bean seeds to create a smooth glaze.
2. Dip doughnuts into glaze and return to cooling racks to let glaze drip and set.

Make chocolate glaze:

1. Warm coconut milk in a small saucepan, but do not boil. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate chips, maple, and vanilla until chocolate melts into a smooth glaze.
2. Dip doughnuts into glaze and return them to cooling racks. Add sprinkles or orange zest for decoration. Glaze will set as it cools.

Make cinnamon sugar:

1. Whisk together sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
2. Roll warm doughnuts in cinnamon sugar, coating all sides.

To make filled doughnuts:

1. Pipe your choice of filling such as jam, custard or curd into the doughnuts and dust with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!