Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jam Iced Donuts!

A little tribute to the current donut obsession sweeping Sydney, these peanut butter and jelly or jam doughnuts are impregnated with three squirts of strawberry jam before being dipped in a strawberry jam icing and topped with a slice of fresh strawberry. They are an absolute crowd pleaser and are easily made as they are baked, not fried.

"Did I ever tell you about the time that I left Dave for dead?" Belinda asked me over dinner one night. I leaned in closer, I knew I was in for a funny story. She explained that when she and her former husband David were looking for somewhere to live, she saw a show home. Some time had passed and she eventually got him to come along for an inspection. They walked through the home and she thought to herself, "Hmmm there is some really ugly furniture in here for a show home..."

They walked through to one room where a man sat reading a news paper. Belinda screamed and ran out of there om her ballet flats so fast and was starting the car before anyone could react. Dave was left standing explaining and apologising for the intrusion. The home owner was fine. "It happens all the time!" he said calmly. And indeed it might as the two homes on either side were still unsold.

A few minutes later when he had extricated himself from the situation Dave found Belinda in the car with the engine running. "Yeah thanks for leaving me for dead in there," Dave said to her sarcastically. The funny thing is of course that Belinda is one of the most loyal friends out there and I think that if you came upon a dragon (yes, I live in Harry Potter world - stay with me) she would stand next to you and fight it. But an unexpected home owner? That threw her.

Lesson learned? There are times when you just have to think of and for yourself. I would apply the same lesson to these doughnuts. You see these were a last minute creation for my agency The Remarkables Group's Christmas party. I can't turn up anywhere empty handed. I've been a little taken by this latest donut obsession sweeping Sydney and wanting to join in on the fun. Peanut butter and jam is such a classic combination and I had some extra strawberries in the fridge as well as two jars of strawberry jam opened.

These are baked peanut butter doughnuts injected with pockets of strawberry jam. Not only that but they are then dipped in a strawberry jam icing and topped with a slice of fresh strawberry. Don't think of anyone else when you grab one, just enjoy it as it is, solo if necessary. I think my favourite part was the squirt of jam impregnated in the donut and the echo of the jam in the icing. Because it is baked it isn't quite as indulgent as a fried donut but that means you can eat more right? Don't think, just eat ;)

So tell me Dear Reader, what do you eat peanut butter with? Jam/jelly, honey or something else? And are you a smooth or crunchy lover? Do you have a favourite brand? I once had coconut butter in Hawaii and that was insanely good!

P.S. Yesterday I uploaded a video with a very clever tip on how to make reusable baking tin liners that you can wash and use and wash and reuse again! If you hate lining baking tins before baking, you'll appreciate this as much as I did! x

PB&J Doughnuts

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott/Not Quite Nigella

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Makes 12 donuts

• Non stick spray
• 1.5 cups self raising flour
• 1/2 cup caster or superfine sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
• 1/2 cup mild flavoured oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam plus 3 tablespoons extra
• 1.5 cups icing or powdered sugar
• Small strawberries to decorate

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F and spray a 12 space donut tin with non stick oil spray. In a bowl, whisk the flour and sugar together until combined. In a large jug whisk the buttermilk, peanut butter, oil and egg together until smooth. Make a well in the dry ingredients and mix in the wet ingredients until just combined.

Step 2 - Place the mixture into a piping bag and pipe into the donut tin. With lightly wet hands you can press gently to seal the ends. Bake for 15 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the tray and cool for a couple of minutes while you get the piping bag filled with strawberry jam. Poke three holes in each donut and inject some jam into the donut. It is best done while the donuts are still warm.

Step 3 - Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix with the 3 tablespoons of jam and enough water to produce a dippable icing. Dip each donut in the icing and allow to dry on a tray. Cut the strawberries into three pieces. Before the icing sets, add a piece of fresh strawberry on top.