A Snowy Day at Canoe Meadows and Chocolate Cream (Healthy) Donuts!

As I write this we are in the middle of a major snow storm and it is really cold! Last Sunday, with temperatures hovering in the 30’s (0 Celsius) and no wind, we ventured out in a light snow for a short walk at Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. This was after we enjoyed the always delicious Sunday Buffet at an excellent little Indian restaurant, MINT ; with a lakeside view of Laurel Lake in Lee, Massachusetts.

The lovely scenic path winds gently through fields, meadows, small ponds and around the Housatonic River.

In the distance is October Mountain, named by the famous writer, Herman Melville. The nearby Arrowhead Herman Melville House, overlooks the mountain. The house was built in the 1780’s. Melville spent some of his most productive years there between 1850-1863 where he wrote Moby-Dick, Pierre (dedicated to nearby Monument Mountain),Confidence Man and Israel Potter.

At a recent visit to the Woodstar Cafe in Northampton, Massachusetts, I was tempted by the Hazelnut Creme Donuts; somehow I resisted and decided to make a healthy version that we could enjoy at home.

I thought that the perfect filling would be a rich tasting but very light chocolate pudding and the baked apple cider donuts that I included in a blog titled “Mann tracht un gott lacht”.

The pudding, which includes almond milk, cornstarch, a small amount of coconut sugar, vanilla and Lily’s chocolate (sweetened with Stevia) is delicious on it’s own or served with fresh berries and sliced almonds.

The filled donuts tasted rich and decadent, but are healthy and perfect with a cup of late afternoon tea or a decaf latte with oat milk!

ENJOY!

Donuts with Chocolate Cream Filling

Chocolate Pudding Filling– adapted from Chocolate Cake by Michele Urvater

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup cocnut sugar ( this makes a very bittersweet pudding, feel free to add up to 1/2 to 3/4 cups sugar.)

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond or soy milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla extract

4 ounces dark chocolate chopped (I used Lily’s Extremely Dark chocolate, but you could semi or bittersweet chocolate for a sweeter taste)

To make the pudding:

In a small mixing bowl, with a fork or small whisk, combine the cornstarch with 1/2 cup of the milk.

In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the remaining 1 cup milk to a simmer with the sugar, stirring occasionally so the milk does not boil over. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Whisk the cornstarch and milk in the bowl again to make sure the cornstarch is dissolved, and add this to the hot milk and sugar mixture. Return the saucepan to the heat and bring to a simmer until the mixture thickens, whisking constantly. Remove from the hear and add chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts into the mixture. Stir in almond extract. Put pudding in a bowl and refrigerate until cold.

refrigerate until cold.

For the donuts:

• ⅓ cup neutral-flavored oil (canola, avocado, grapeseed, walnut)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup applesauce ( I did not have a jar of applesauce on hand, so I just cooked down a few apples and mashed them up with some cinnamon).
• ½ cup  apple cider, boiled down to about 2 tablespoons of syrup
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

Instructions

Making the donuts:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a non-stick donut pan with cooking spray. My pan makes 6 donuts, so I had to fill it twice.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, sugar, applesauce, cider syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder until smooth.
• Add the flour, stirring until just smooth.
• Fill a pastry bag or a sturdy gallon-sized plastic bag with the batter. Use scissors to snip off the tip of the bag, creating about an ½”’ hole.
• Pipe the batter into the wells of the doughnut pan nearly to the rim. Or, just carefully spoon in the batter.
• Bake the doughnuts for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. .
• Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and loosen their edges by running a knife along the outer circle.

To Assemble the Donuts:

Cut donuts in half with a serrated knife.

Spread one half liberally with chocolate pudding to make a “donut sandwich”.

Melt a few squares of chocolate in microwave and place in a small plastic baggie. Snip off a tiny corner of the bag and squeeze lightly back and forth over doughnuts to make decorative lines.

Enjoy with a cup of tea!

Here is a beautiful piece to listen to by the Renaissance composer Joan Ambrosio Dalza-“Pavana alla Ferrarese”

AND: Here is the “Tree of the Week”!

STAY SAFE AND WARM!