Happy Monday everyone!

Today I don't think I have moved more than a few metres from my couch and with good reason, this past weekend I took part in the Cancer Council Relay for Life!

Basically it's continuous relay where you and your team (or a few crazy cats just power on solo!) move a baton around a 400m running track non-stop for 24 hours to raise money for cancer research. This was the third time I have done the relay and every year I come away with some amazing memories, not to mention a fair amount of crippling muscle soreness!

As an added bonus this year I the relay organisers included a marathon option where you got a nice, shiny medal if you personally ran or walked a marathon distance (42 kilometres). Not only did I get my lovely medal but I also managed to run a continuous half-marathon which I have never done before so thumbs up for personal achievements!

How is this fitness and exercise related to something like doughnuts you ask? Well in our team we divide up what food, equipment etc. each member will bring for the group and (surprise, surprise) I tend to be the bearer of sugary snacks!

One of the treats I decided to whip up this year was, you guessed it, Nutella-filled Doughnuts!

This is the same recipe I have used previously for my jam doughnuts and I love it! The dough itself is not too sugary and so with a sweet filling it balances out nicely without leaving you with that fuzzy-teeth feeling! 

And lets face it, Nutella just makes everything better.

Nutella Doughnuts

Makes approx. 20 mini doughnuts


2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 tbsp lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
2 tbsp caster sugar
50g butter, melted
2 1/4 cup plain flour
2 eggs
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
400g jar of Nutella


*Optional* 

1/4 cup caster sugar

Combine the yeast with lukewarm milk and water (just make sure its not too hot or you will kill your yeast rather than activating it!) and 1 tbsp of the caster sugar and set aside in a warm spot for about 10 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.

In a separate bowl combine the butter, flour, eggs and remaining tablespoon of sugar and then add the activated yeast mixture. Combine with your hands to form a dough and gently knead on a floured bench top until smooth.

Place the dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm place for at least 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Knock back the dough (i.e. give it a good punch to knock the air out of it!) and knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

 Roll the dough out to 1cm thick and use a circular cutter to cut out the doughnuts. For these doughnuts I used a 5cm cutter but for a more traditional size you can a 10cm cutter.

Put the doughnuts onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and leave in a warm spot for a further 30min to rise further.

In a large saucepan, add enough vegetable oil so that it is at least 5cm deep and heat the oil to 180 degrees Celsius. Add the doughnuts to the oil a few at a time and cook for about 1 minute each side or until golden brown. Remove to a plate covered with absorbent paper towel.

Whilst the doughnuts are still warm, dusted them in the extra caster sugar (this is an optional step though). When the doughnuts are cool pierce each with a skewer to make a small hole to pipe your filling into.

To make the Nutella pipeable, microwave it for 10 seconds and stir well (repeat if it is still to firm to pipe). Pour into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip and pipe into the doughnuts, using the skewered hole as an entry point.

And that's all folks!

A nice batch of doughnuts perfect for lunchbox treats, served with a mug of coffee or to feed a hungry relay team.  

Confession time.

I love nuts almost as much as a terrible pun.

Delicious, earthy flavours. Great pre-workout snack. Technically a fruit. What's not to love?!

If, like me, you have a perchant for these nutritious nibbles, there is a fair chance you will also be head over heels for its entree offspring: Dukkah

Not familiar with it? Essentially dukkah is a mix of ground nuts and spices which can be served with bread, balsamic vinegar and olive oil as part of a dipping platter. Dunking the bread in the oils first and then the dukkah means the nut mix sticks to the bread and provides you additional flavours and crunch with every mouthful. Yum!

Or you can buck convention like my Nanna and use the mix as a crusting for roast meats or simply sprinkled over roasted vegetables. Each to their own!

 

Everybody seems to have their own version of dukkah, with the type of nuts and spices used varying across rationality and depending on availability. This recipe happens to be one that I have used over the last couple of years and I could still eat it by the bucket load!

Give it a shot and you won't regret it!


Unless your allergic to nuts...
Then there may be a mild dissatisfaction accompanied by anaphylactic shock...   

Basic Spicy Dukkah

3 cups hazelnuts
2 cups sesame seeds
5 tbsp coriander seeds
5 tbsp cumin seeds
4 tsp ground black pepper
3 tsp sea salt flakes



Preheat oven to 180 degrees (C) and spread the hazelnuts evenly over a baking tray. Bake in the hot oven for 5-6 minutes or until lightly roasted  (you should be able to smell them when they're ready!)

Remove the nuts from the oven and allow to cool slightly before placing in a tea towel and rubbing the nuts to remove their skins. Set the nuts aside and throw away the skins.

Place the sesame, cumin and coriander seeds in a fry pan along with the black pepper and cook over a low heat for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted and aromatic.

Combine the nuts, seed mix and salt in a food processor and blitz until it reaches the desired texture. I like to keep a couple of chunkier nut pieces in mine but you don't want them so big they won't stick to your dipping bread!

You could kick it old school and use a mortar and pestle for this step but in all honesty I am generally too lazy for such shenanigans...

And that's all there is to it!

Bottle your mixture up and give it to friends and family to earn their undying admiration or whip it out the next time your having some nibbles and wine... or sneak into the cupboard and eat a few spoons of it by itself....

No judgement!




And just for the heck of it, since we are talking about nuts, have a squirrel to brighten up your day!

xxoo