When Chris published his speculaas chocolate donut recipe at Cakes by Noah I was intrigued as no deep frying is required.

Chris, Noah’s father, originally set out to help those suffering with coeliac disease, to help them see that actually baking and creating cakes and bakes wasn't as difficult or plain as they may have thought. That actually with a little thought, you can re-create almost any bake or cake that is gluten free using the right ingredients.

As Noah grows, so do the opportunities for him to try new and different things and as his tastes develop, Chris’ blog Cakes by Noah will share with readers those things he enjoys.  If it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for anyone.

Do you know your donuts from your doughnuts . . .

Donuts or doughnuts have a somewhat mysterious history with some claiming that they were invented in North America by Dutch settlers.

In the 19th century, in the USA, doughnuts were sometimes referred to as one kind of oliebol - a "sweetened type of fritter” - with or without raisins or currants, and usually sprinkled with powdered sugar.

In the Netherlands, “oliebollen”, referred to in cookbooks as "Dutch doughnuts”, are traditionally eaten as part of Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Anyway, either donuts or doughnuts, they are usually deep-fried from a flour dough, and typically either ring-shaped or without a hole, and often filled. Other types of batters can also be used, and various toppings and flavorings are used for different types.

What follows is an overview of the ingredients Chris used to make vandotsch speculaas  chocolate donuts, including:

Makes 12 donuts

Ingredients

- 180g gluten free plain flour

- 50g cocoa

- 2 tsp of baking powder

- 180g caster sugar

- 1/2 tsp vandotsch speculaas spice mix

- 3 large eggs

- 80ml vegetable oil

- 160ml semi skimmed milk

- 160g dark chocolate

I refer to Chris’ write-up for directions on how to bake his vandotsch speculaas chocolate donuts