Vegan Chai Doughnuts Recipe

Vegan Chai Doughnuts Recipe Directions:

Please read through all instructions before beginning.

1. Prep: Grease a medium bowl with olive or coconut oil, and set aside.
2. Bloom the yeast: In a separate large bowl, combine the heated dairy free milk, Yogi Tea Barista Chai Concentrate, 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, and activated yeast. Mix with a wooden spoon, and cover. Place in a warm area to activate for about 10 minutes. The yeast should begin to foam and smell yeast-like (similar to beer).
3. Make the dough: Once the yeast is activated, you’ll start the dough. In a large bowl or using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, add the bread flour and remaining sugar to the bowl. Mix just until the sugar is mixed throughout the flour. Then add in the dairy free yogurt, vanilla, and bloomed yeast mixture. Mix on medium speed until a very shaggy dough forms, about 3-4 minutes. Then add in the tablespoons of vegan butter, and begin to mix again on medium speed. Stop every so often to reincorporate the butter. Once the vegan butter is incorporated, turn the speed of the stand mixer onto high, and allow the dough to be kneaded in the bowl for about 10-15 minutes, or until soft and pliable. The dough might still be slightly tacky, but should not leave globs of dough on your finger tip. The trick is to knead the dough until it passes the windowpane test.
4. First proof: Place the dough ball into the medium sized greased bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel and place in a warm area (ideally above 80F) to rest for about 60-120 minutes, or until doubled in size.
5. While the dough is proofing: Make the pastry cream. In a medium saucepan, combine all pastry cream ingredients except the vegan butter and whisk together. Then heat the mixture on medium heat, stirring continuously for 5-7 minutes, until it begins to thicken. Once the mixture thickens, remove from heat, and add in the vegan butter. Whisk until the vegan butter is incorporated, then cover and set aside to cool. It's best if refrigerated before filling the doughnuts. 
6. Shape the dough: Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly flour a clean surface, and place the dough onto the surface. Divide the dough into 6 even dough balls (or more for smaller doughnuts). Take one piece, and pinch the corners together to create a ball. Then gently roll the dough ball between your palms or on the lightly floured surface to smooth the seams until you get a smooth dough ball. Place the shaped dough onto the parchment paper, and repeat for the remaining dough.
7. Rest: Cover the baking sheet of doughnuts and place in a warm area again to rest until almost doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
8. While the doughnuts are resting: With 10-15 minutes remaining of resting time, pour the oil into a large saucepan with walls and heat the oil until it reaches about 350-365F, keeping it steady at that temperature for frying. Use a candy thermometer please. For the cooling, place paper towels onto a cooling rack or below to sop up any excess oil.
9. Fry the doughnuts: When the doughnuts are ready, take one doughnut carrying it on its parchment paper and place it onto the slotted spoon, removing the parchment paper. Lower the doughnut into the oil and fry the doughnut on one side for 2 minutes or until lightly golden on the bottom. Then flip the doughnut using the slotted spoon to fry on the other side for 1.5 minutes. You can place more doughnuts in at the same time if your pan can hold it, as long as you keep the temperature between 350-365F. Remove the fried doughnuts with the slotted spoon, and place them onto the cooling rack.
10. Coat the doughnuts: After the doughnuts have cooled for 10 minutes, dip each doughnut into a large bowl with the granulated sugar, and flip to evenly coat. Repeat for all doughnuts. Then let them cool before filling with the pastry cream.
11. Fill the doughnuts: Use a knife or a long skewer to poke a hole in the seam of each doughnut, and use the skewer to create a pocket towards the middle of the donut. This will be where you fill the doughnuts. Then fill a pastry bag with a piping nozzle and the vegan pastry cream. Pipe the filling into each doughnut by inserting the tip into the hole made by the skewer.
12. Serve and enjoy! Serve the doughnuts freshly baked or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.