How decadent doughnuts can be made healthier by baking them
Doughnuts are my kryptonite.
Fried sweet dough dipped in glaze, and then dunked into a cup of steaming-hot coffee? Yes, please. And I will give this to you straight: once or twice a year, I'm all in. I load up the car and take the kids to our favorite doughnut spot and we throw caution to the wind.
But for the average Sunday-brunch-type of indulgence, a girl needs a plan. I wanted to create a doughnut that would scratch the itch on a more semiregular basis. And the baked version is just the ticket.
I make a doughnut in perhaps my favorite flavor of all time - peanut butter chocolate - that truly feels like a major indulgence, while it's actually just a minor one, thanks to a few tricks.
First, get yourself a full-sized baked doughnut tin, stat. Not to sound bossy, but this will change your life. Or at least your weekend. Incidentally, stick with the full-sized version - the baked mini-doughnuts puff up and the middle fills in, and frankly, you end up with something closer to a muffin half the time.
Second little trick: Use a lot less sugar than you would use for a cake recipe. The little bit of sugary glaze will make the doughnut taste sweeter than it is, because it's on the outside.
Third trick: I use three kinds of chocolate - melted chocolate and cocoa powder (both unsweetened) and then just a couple of tablespoons of mini-chocolate chips, which even in small quantities add a gooey-melted chocolate vibe that says "today is special."
Lastly, I use defatted peanut flour (also called "dried peanut butter"). It has all the flavor and a fraction of the calories of peanut butter, perfect for smoothies and baked goods.
And as a bonus, these doughnuts can be made gluten-free. I've successfully substituted several gluten-free flour mixes (look for "1-to-1" or "baking flour" on the label for best results) in this recipe, which my gluten-free daughter loves.
• Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian is an expert on healthy eating on a budget. She is the author of the cookbook "Supermarket Healthy." Visit her at www.melissadarabian.net.