Yes, it’s time to make baked chocolate courgette donuts.  Yes baked. Yes chocolate.  Yes courgettes.   And if you don’t have a donut pan – you can make muffins.

I do grow vegetables.  I’m not sure why (that’s probably the subject of another blog and some real soul searching – not sure I actually like growing vegetables other than asparagus).  Courgettes seem to like my garden though and in my worst gardening summers – there are always courgettes.  I don’t like to waste food, especially food that I have grown.

You may have a tidal wave of courgettes from your vegetable garden, allotment or in-laws.  Here’s a great way to use them and make nearly guilt free chocolate donuts – without a fryer.

Ingredients

• 240 grams plain white flour
• 150 grams white caster sugar
• 45 grams cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons /9 grams of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon / 4.5 grams of salt
• 150 grams (approximate) of shredded courgette (after pressing out water)
• 200 grams white chocolate chips (any chocolate chips work but its a good visual effect using white)
• 160 mls of milk, with addition of two teaspoons of lemon juice (curdles the milk) (or buttermilk if you have it)
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 30 grams butter, melted
• spray oil

Instructions – make as muffins

Preheat oven to 220 C (200 C fan)

1. Shred the courgette.  This is an average sized courgette, not one of those prize winning giants.  Put a piece of kitchen towel in a small sieve and press the courgette to get rid of some of the water.  After pressing it can weigh anything from 145 to 175 grams and the recipe will work.  Leave it draining while you prep the rest of the ingredients.  If you have extra courgette, fry it in some butter, add some parmesan cheese and eat with lunch.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder.  Stir in the courgette and combine with your hands so that the courgette shreds are well distributed and coated with the dry mixture.  Stir in the chocolate bits.   Add the curdled milk, eggs and the butter.  Stir until combined.  Do not over-stir and certainly don’t use your electric mixer.
3. Grease the muffin tin with non-stick spray or use paper liners (I’m a fan of paper liners).  Fill the muffin tins about 3/4 full with batter.  I use an ice cream scoop to fill them.
4. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.   The tops should spring back when pressed.
5. Optional glaze – melt another 100 grams of chocolate.  Easiest way to melt it – put it in a microwave bowl, zap for 10 seconds, check and repeat until it’s melted.  Then drizzle using a spoon, a piping bag or a plastic food bag with the corner nipped off.

Instructions – make as donuts

If you have a donut pan, follow the steps above.  Grease the donut tin with the oil spray.  I have a coconut oil spray that I use for this.  Corn oil also works but I would stay away from olive oil based sprays.  You will get better results if you pipe the batter into the donut tin.   Disposable piping bags are very useful.  Filling the bag is annoying – get a tall cylinder (like the one that came with your stick blender) or a tall glass or a vase to hold up the piping bag.  Fold the edges down and fill using your ice cream scoop (see above).   Get a black binder clip to close the bag when you’re between filling trays etc.

Same oven temperature.  Place in the oven for about 8 minutes.  Tops should spring back when pressed.

These freeze well and defrost quickly.  If you want a frozen one, put in the microwave for no more than 30 seconds.  Then eat immediately because it will toughen up once microwaved.