Halloween Ants on Matcha Mochi Donuts

For these Halloween picnic donuts, I remembered back to one distinct picnic memory that I had and that was when I was a kid and we had ants all throughout our container of fried rice! These matcha mochi donuts are also gluten free if you have any GF eaters. For these matcha mochi donuts I made a creepy version of my blood orange mochi donuts because they keep fresher for longer than regular donuts and I made them 2 days ahead of time.

Ants on Matcha Mochi Donuts

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 20 minutes plus 30 minutes cooling time

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Makes 18 donuts

• 220g/7.8ozs. caster or superfine sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons finely grated blood orange zest*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 250g/8.8ozs. glutinous rice flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 360ml/12.1flozs. milk

• 50g/1.7ozs butter, melted plus extra for buttering the tin

• 2 tablespoons matcha powder

• 6 or so tablespoons hot water
• 3 cups icing or powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons black royal icing

Note: these are much easier made in a silicon donut mould

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease a donut pan very well with the butter. In a large bowl whisk the sugar, eggs, zest and vanilla together for 1 minute. Whisk the rice flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl and add the flour to the egg mixture with the milk and melted butter in 2-3 lots and mix until smooth. Whisk to get rid of any lumps.

Step 2 - Place the batter in a jug and pour into the prepared tin just a little smidgen under the top and bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool in the tin for 30 minutes. Use a butter knife to pry the edges from the tin and the use a teaspoon to lift the donut-it may be a little bit stubborn but it should come out in one piece and not break. Cool on a cooling rack set on top of a baking tray (to catch any icing drips later).

Step 3 - Mix the matcha powder and water together to form a paste. Mix this and the icing sugar together in a bowl to form an icing. You may need to add more water to make it a dolloping consistency. Use a teaspoon to spread the icing on top of the donuts. Place them back on the rack.

Step 4 -Using black royal icing or dark chocolate, draw little ants on top of the donuts. I actually made the ants ahead of time and then allowed them to dry and then using tweezers, placed them on top of the still wet icing.