During Carnival every sweet is worth it! And these ultra-soft and fragrant homemade donuts are certainly worth making! They are the perfect treat to enjoy in the morning for breakfast with a little powdered sugar on top, and with that citrusy flavor, thanks to the mandarin pulp in the batter, capable of giving the right energy to face the daily routine! But they are also great as after-meal treats, perhaps served with some extra honey on top! With this recipe, I officially open the doors to the craziest and most playful party of the year, and even though I’m not a fan of it, except perhaps during my younger years, there would be much to say about the unparalleled gastronomic extravagances associated with it here in Sicily! As elsewhere undoubtedly across the national territory! My proposal, however, is in the name of small and discreet fragrant and light sweets, without going overboard with frying and calories, because the beautiful thing is that you can celebrate even with simplicity! Citrusy sweets with a portion of honey that makes them soft and moist! Truly irresistible, believe me!
CURIOSITY: Did you know that the word “carnival” derives from the Latin carnem levare, meaning “to eliminate meat“? In ancient times, the feast held on the last day of carnival (i.e., Fat Tuesday) was the prelude to a period of abstinence and fasting dictated by Lent during which no one was allowed to eat meat! Another curiosity concerns the festival of Carnival itself, during which it was permissible to let go, free oneself from obligations and commitments, to dedicate oneself to fun and games. Moreover, wearing masks made the rich and the poor indistinguishable, thus eliminating social differences. However, once the celebrations were over, rigour and order had to return to impose themselves.
The proverb associated with this festival reminds us: “once a year, it is permissible to go crazy”!
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: approx. 14 donuts of 3.3 Ø
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival, Fall, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients:
- 250 g mandarins (approx. 3)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup citrus yogurt
- 3 eggs
- 2 3/4 tbsp acacia honey
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 lemon zest (untreated)
- 1 1/2 orange zest (untreated)
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Mixer
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Electric whisk
Preparation
First, peel the mandarins, carefully removing all the seeds inside. Also, make sure to remove the membrane covering them to prevent it from being felt in the batter when tasting them.
Blend them in a mixer into a puree.
Then add the liquid ingredients: the eggs at room temperature, the yogurt, the oil, and the honey.
Continue blending for a few moments until you obtain a fairly smooth and homogeneous mixture.
Pour the obtained mixture into a large bowl and with the help of an electric whisk, start mixing, gradually adding, alternating them, the sugar, the sifted flour and baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
Add the grated zest of the citrus fruits and gently mix with a spatula.
Preheat the oven to 356°F. Butter and flour the donut molds. If you have silicone ones, they do not need to be buttered or floured, except for the first use. Pour the batter into the molds, not reaching the edge, to prevent the batter from overflowing excessively during baking.
Bake for about 15′ minutes, trying not to extend the time, as the donuts might become dry and hard. Nevertheless, perform a skewer test before turning off the oven. Take them out and allow them to cool at room temperature before demolding.
Once warm, place them on a wire rack to cool completely and serve them dusted with powdered sugar.
Garnish them if you like with orange and mandarin zest, untreated.
And voila… the honey and mandarin donuts are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di Fefè!
Storage
👉 The honey and mandarin donuts keep well at room temperature under a glass dome or in a container with an airtight seal for about 2-3 days.
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣To fully enjoy the mandarin aroma, I recommend consuming them once fully cooled.
🟣You can also decorate the donuts with a water glaze or, for those with a sweet tooth, a dark chocolate glaze, which pairs excellently with the citrusy flavor of mandarins.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can the mandarin pulp be replaced with orange pulp?
Of course, you can use orange pulp; in that case, one large orange will suffice.
