Eggless glazed donut

When it comes to desserts indulging eggs into sweet treats doesn't go with me very well.Hence i prefer sticking to eggless recipes most of the times.One of such eggless delights are these round fried dough with a hole in the middle popularly known as donut.This dessert is an all time American favorite  dessert which is simple and easy to make with just few ingredients.This is Nisha Madhullika ji's recipe.I love how she explains all the recipes with such an ease.As said before the method of making these are easy peasy with few important ingredients which cannot be skipped at all.There are three important ingredients-yeast,lukewarm milk and patience.Few people faint in the name of yeast.But don't worry!The yeast used here is an active dry yeast which means activation of the yeast separately is not required.Now the lukewarm milk is another important step for making a soft donut.When we say lukewarm by that we mean that the milk should be at such a temperature that when you dip your finger inside the liquid it should be neither that hot that your finger burns nor that cold that your finger feel nothing.It should be a bit warm.As i said before patience is an important factor here.In this recipe i have done 2 proofing of the donut which means you need a lot more patience than ever.Remember good things or rather sweet things comes to those who wait.

Ingredients serves-10 donuts

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 3/4th cup of lukewarm milk
• 1/4th cup of softened butter at room temperature
• 2 tbsp of sugar (salted or unsalted)
• 1 tsp of active dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp of salt if unsalted butter is used
• Donut cutter
• oil for frying

Method

1. Mix flour,sugar,yeast,(salt) in a mixing bowl.
   
2. Add in the butter and mix well.Once done add in the milk a little at a time.While i made the dough around 1 1/2 tbsp of milk was still left.Knead the dough for atleast 6-7 minutes(kneading is very important).The dough once kneaded should be springy and soft.Dust flour or grease the bowl with oil and cover the dough with a cling film.Keep it for atleast 30 minutes.Do not refrigerate the dough. (first proofing)
   
3. After 3o minutes you'll notice the dough has become double the size and a lot more softer.Knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes.Dust the counter with a little flour and roll the dough into 1 or 1/2 cm thickness.The dough should be neither too thick nor too thin.Brush them with melted butter or oil so that it does not become too dry.
   
4. Cut the donuts with the help of a donut cutter.If you don't have a donut cutter you can always improvise with a glass and a cap of a bottle.
   
5. Proof them again for another 2-3 hours.You can either dust the surface with flour and place the donuts or use butter paper.They will puff up .
   
6. Heat up oil in a pan for deep frying.Once hot add the donuts and fry till golden brown.To test whether the oil is hot enough or not drop a piece of the dough.If it immediately floats on the oil your oil is ready.
   
   
7. Your soft and delicious donuts are ready.You could either dust them with powdered sugar and cinnamon or just glaze them with sugar glaze,honey glaze or chocolate glaze (for the chocolate glaze melt compound chocolate and dip the donuts directly or add food color into the melted chocolate for that extra oomph).Once you are done giving that last touch to your donuts grab one and Eat it up!:)
   

Tips:-

1. You can even bake them into a pre-heated microwave in convection mode at 180 degrees for around 13-15 minutes or till golden brown.

egg-less butter-less chocolate cake in a pressure cooker

Since my childhood i have always known that a traditional cake is made with eggs and butter.which my granny used to make on special occasions.It was smooth,silky and melted in the mouth.Unless recently last year when i bumped into this recipe online.I can't exactly remember where i saw this recipe but after reading it i ran to the kitchen to test it and ever since then i make this chocolate cake whenever i have a sweet craving.It's not only simple but also quick.And the best part is the ingredients are nothing fancy and under the budget(considering the soaring prices of butter these days,phew!).As the name suggests it's egg-less as well as without butter.Now there are lot of people who might think that a cake without butter and eggs might not be that delicious or soft.But trust me once you try this recipe you'll forget the eggs and butter.

I remember my granny had this cake oven where she used to bake these cakes and at times in a pressure cooker,too.But with the evolution in technology there has been invention of fancy gadgets like the Otg,oven and convection microwave.But there are still certain households in India where these gadgets do not exist. For them this old school method of baking in a pressure cooker is perfect.

Ingredients Serves-8 pieces

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4th cup hot water
• 3/4th cup of sugar
• 1/4th cup of vegetable or canola oil
• 3 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/4th tsp of baking soda
• 1/4th tsp of vanilla essence
• 1 tbsp of lime juice

Method

1. Sift all the dry ingredients in a bowl(cocoa powder,all purpose flour,baking soda,baking powder)
   
2. In another bowl add in the Wet ingredients(hot water,oil,vanilla essence) with sugar.Stir till the sugar dissolves.
   
3. Meanwhile,preheat the pressure cooker on medium flame for 5 minutes.Remove the whistle and the rubber band and place a wire stand or perforated plate inside it.i have used a small heart shaped cake tin.This is done so that the cake tin does not get the direct heat.
   
4. Add the dry ingredients in three parts one by one and mix gently so that lumps do not form.It's very important to whisk the mixture gently else the cake might not be soft and light.
   
5. Once the pressure cooker is preheated.Add in the lemon juice in the cake mixture and stir gently so that the lemon combines with the mixture.Don't stir for too long.Here lemon juice is added so that it react with the baking soda and makes the cake silky and soft.When you add the lemon juice the dark brown mixture might get distorted and become light brown giving a marbled effect.Don't freak out its normal.Pour the mixture in a greased 6 inch approx cake tin(i usually grease my cake tin with oil and flour).
   
6.  Place it on the stand inside the pressure cooker.Bake the cake on very low flame for 40-45 minutes.Check the cake after 30 minutes.The time of baking varies on the intensity of the flame,too.You'll know your cake is done once it leaves all it's sides and the tooth pick poked all the way down in the center of the cake comes out clean.
   
   
   
   
7. Once the cake is done switch off the gas and let it rest inside the cooker for five minutes.In that way if at all some parts remain uncooked it'll get cooked in this process.After five minutes take it out and place it out on a cooling rack and wait till it cools down a bit.After it's cooled take it out of the tin.Your yummy chocolate cake is ready.It tastes better if eaten after a day.To get a better taste refrigerate at least for half an hour and then decorate it or serve as it is and Eat it up!