Last week I’ve been fighting a terrible flu which emptied me of my nutrients and energy, and kept me lying in bed for a few very long days. I haven’t caught a cold or flu since I changed my diet several years ago, and this one simply caught me by surprise.
I couldn’t read or write, nor take photos, but I had enough time to think. It’s incredible how much illness changes your perspective, and the way other struggles turn out to be so unimportant when your health is the only thing that you actually need. I started to feel better on a very sunny day, when suddenly everything seemed to fall into place. I know the warming light, the singing birds, and the green leaves will soon appear everywhere. The spring that I longed for so much is finally coming.
I love the early spring celebrations, and although I’m not at all into their commercial approach, they remind me of the simple things that really matter. The last half of February, we have a beautiful rural feast called Drabogete, which I’ve already told you about in my Blueberry Raw Cheesecake post — a feast which is all about the awakening of the senses.
The use of different tones of red during this time is also a sign that winter is gone, and this is why I decided to use red to make these delicious baked donuts — to celebrate the bright side of life and the things that makes us happy.
Baking donuts turned out to be a delightful way to spend a sunny afternoon in my warm kitchen, listening to music while the outside temperature didn’t go above five degrees Celsius. I had so much fun playing with the berry icing, and like everything made with pleasure, these donuts turned out so good. I rarely bake desserts, but I tried to keep these on the guilt-free side, making them vegan and using as little sugar as I could.
The texture was dense and moist, and the chocolate taste is such a good pairing with the berry icing. The secret of this recipe are the cooked chickpeas, which keeps them together without adding any preservatives, and also adding fiber, protein and softness to them. Because we really wanted to indulge, I added a vegan chocolate sauce drizzle which made them even prettier!
Vegan Chocolate Doughnuts with Pink Berry Icing
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened nut milk I used almond milk
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas drained
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate melted over simmering water
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- A pinch sea salt
- Coconut oil to grease the pan
- Crushed almonds to garnish
- For the Berry Glaze
- 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp agave syrup
- 2 tsp arrowroot powder
- For the Chocolate Drizzle
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate
- 2 tbsp vegan milk
- 2 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 176°C/350°F.
- Add the cooked chickpeas into the food processor and pulse to obtain a puree.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, vinegar, salt and nut milk, and process to obtain a dense batter.
- Add the melted chocolate and pulse to incorporate.
- Grease the doughnuts pan with coconut oil, then distribute evenly the batter.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- In a small sauce pan add the raspberries and lemon juice, and bring to boil over low heat, then let simmer for five minutes.
- Strain the mixture to remove the seeds and peel, then transfer the resulted juice back into the sauce pan. Add the arrowroot, mix to incorporate then bring to boil and simmer for a few minutes stirring continuously until it starts to thicken.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- In a small sauce pan add the vegan chocolate, vegan milk and coconut oil and place over a pan with simmering water.
- Mix continuously until the chocolate is melted and you obtain a dense sauce, then set aside to cool.
- Spread the raspberry glaze on top of each doughnut, then drizzle with the chocolate sauce, top with crushed almonds and serve.
Notes
I hope you’re feeling better now! These doughnuts are just gorgeous, and such a beautiful way to celebrate the coming of spring. I’ll have to make them to celebrate the gorgeous summer we are enjoying here in Australia 🙂
Wow, you’ve just made me daydream about summer and holidays :)! Thank you so much, I’m feeling a lot better now!
These look so stunning and delicious! They are perfect for Valentine’s. 🙂 I hope you’re feeling all better now! Love, Rita xo
Thank you so much, I’m so much better now and really happy that awful virus it’s gone :)! xo
Hi! Awesome doughnuts! Just found you and now following
Thank you, this makes me happy! Glad to find your website too, so inspiring!
These donuts are gorgeous! And that pretty pink glaze is the perfect addition to these tasty pastries!
Yesss, chickpeas and the berry glaze took these doughnuts into a whole new dimension of taste!
Sometimes even eating the healthiest food and doing all “by the book” isn’t enough – we’ll catch a cold, or flue, but that’s just a reminder not to take anything lightly, I guess… I hope your’e in perfect health now…
And these doughnuts look incredible. I love the idea of adding chickpea into something sweet – great recipe…
Yes, you can support your immune system, but you can’t hide away from strong viruses! I’m much better now, thank you, and your visit makes me happy! 🙂
Wowwwweeee! I am loving this ingredient list… these donuts are secret health food! Absolutely beautiful photos too!
Awwww, thank you Emma 🙂
These doughnuts are so beautiful no one would ever know they’re healthy! I’m happy to hear you’re feeling better and what a blessing that it was on a sunny day 🙂 Definitely pinning this for yummy doughnuts later!
Indeed, they express decandence, but they’re made with simple and natural ingredients! Thanks for pinning 🙂
You’re right nothing makes you appreciate your health like being sick. Glad you were feeling well enough to create these yummy wholesome donuts…I want to put that richly colored raspberry sauce on everything!
Yessssss, that pink awasomeness is so delicious! Thanks for your visit 🙂
Hope you’re feeling better, Ana! These doughnuts look beautiful! 😀
Thank you dear Sarah, feeling much better now! 🙂
Really cool photos! I will have to try these.
Thank you so much, and please let me know how did you like them!
Waw! My daughter will love this: pink doughnuts are all she dreams about! We are still waiting for spring here in Belgium… Not only the food, but also the pictures are ‘to eat from’ ( dutch expression, no idea in other languages…)!!
Pink is also my color these days, I totally understand your daughter 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind words, we have a similar expression here too!!
Hi,
I am just making these right now ( they are literally in the oven right now) but I am wondering about the glaze. I will serve them tomorrow morning (it’s 8pm now here in Europa) and I was wondering wether I should put the glaze on right now or tomorrow morning just before serving them? What would you recommend?
Thank you!
I usually add the glaze after the doughnuts cooled, but either way is fine. I bet they turned out lovely 🙂