mini Tokelauan Donuts

Happy tail-end of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Here I wanted to highlight a Pacific Island- Tokelau.

Tokelau is one of the islands literally in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it consists of three islands, and it’s one of the first fully solar powered nations in the world. :) They’re under New Zealand territory, but most speak the tokelauan language.

Petoni gave me the idea to make these in one of the comments, and frankly, I had not known so much about the pacific islands until I spoke to her. Even when I looked up a recipe online, there was only 1 that I could refer to!

These are traditionally tennis-ball size, but I gave it my own little twist by making them mini and black sesame flavored.

Ingredients

• 2  cups all-purpose flour 

• 1 tsp baking powder 

• Pinch of salt 

• 3/4 packet dry instant yeast

• 1/4 cup sugar  

• 1 cup warm milk OR water 

• 1 cup canola oil (or enough to cover 1 inch deep in the pot)

• optional: 1/4 cup black sesame powder

1. Mix 2 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar. (Optional, 1/2 cup sesame powder)

2. Mix warm milk (microwave 45 s) with yeast (make sure the milk is not too hot)

3. Mix 2 &1 well. Let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place. (I put it in an oven with the oven light on)

4. Oil the insides of a zip lock bag, or a piping bag. 

5. Mix the dough a few times to deflate, then place into the bag.

6. Heat the oil over medium heat. Test it by putting in a piece of dough. If it floats and bubbles, then you’re ready to go.

7. Pipe out small amounts of dough at a time, and cut the small pieces into the oil.

8. Fry the donuts in low to medium heat, flipping over and making sure nothing is burnt.

9. Transfer donuts to a plate lined with paper towel

10. For the icing, mix 1:1 ratio of sour cream (and heavy cream) and powdered sugar 

Mix 2 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar. (Optional, 1/2 cup sesame powder)

Mix warm milk (microwave 45 s) with yeast (make sure the milk is not too hot)

Mix 2 &1 well.

As you can see, I divided up the dry ingredients in half, and added half cup of milk each to make it half plain, and half black sesame flavor :)

Let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place. (I put it in an oven with the oven light on)

I learned this from my dad who bakes bread pretty often! you put your dough to rise in an oven (completely turned off) with only the oven light on, and it’ll help proof the dough faster because of the warmth of the light.

Oil the insides of a zip lock bag, or a piping bag. 

Mix the dough a few times to deflate, then place into the bag.

Heat the oil over medium heat. Test it by putting in a piece of dough. If it floats and bubbles, then you’re ready to go.

Pipe out small amounts of dough at a time, and cut the small pieces into the oil.

Fry the donuts in low to medium heat, flipping over and making sure nothing is burnt.

powdered sugar ~

For the icing, mix 1:1 ratio of sour cream (and heavy cream) and powdered sugar

I love the tart flavor of the sour cream (or use greek yogurt, if you like this too), but feel free to use heavy cream :)

enjoy!