Description
This donut treat is easy to make if you have a GF sourdough starter. Enjoy my twist on the Canadian-style beavertail shaped donuts. See notes below for healthier baking options.
Tools: A 5-quart Dutch oven, candy thermometer, mixing bowl, slotted spoon, thin spatula, unbleached parchment paper, wire rack. You will need a skillet or baking sheet if pan frying or oven baking the beavertails/donuts.
Ingredients
Beavertail Dough Mixture
- 1 cup fed (active) GF sourdough starter (265g)*
- 3/4 cup brown rice flour (100g)
- 1/4 cup arrowroot starch (30g)
- 1/4 cup potato starch (40g)
- 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar (36g)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or soft/melted vegan butter (36g)
- 1/2 tablespoon GF baking powder**
- 2 teaspoons whole psyllium husk***
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup homemade hemp milk (58g)****
High smoke point oil for frying
I tested organic unrefined canola oil
Decoration (optional but recommended)
Organic powdered sugar, organic maple sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon,
pure vanilla bean powder, seed butter, chocolate spread, jam, fresh fruit
Instructions
Before you start, watch the short Canadian Sourdough Beavertails video tutorial.
Step 1 – In a medium bowl, mix all 10 dough mixture ingredients until well combined. Cover your bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Note: You can let the dough rest for up to 2 hours if your kitchen is cooler.
Step 2 – Get a 5-quart Dutch oven-ready and fill it with 1 inch of oil. Attach the candy thermometer to the inside of your pot with the bottom tip in the oil. Heat your Dutch oven and oil on the stovetop on medium heat until it reaches 360°-375° F.
Step 3 – Place a sheet of unbleached parchment paper on your kitchen counter. Roughly divide your dough right in the bowl into 6 (or 12 for mini beavertails). You can dust the parchment paper with a little brown rice flour to prevent sticking if you choose to flatten and shape your dough on the counter. Or you can also gently roll one portion of dough with your hands to then shape it in a flatter ovalish shape. If it’s helpful, you can also use a spatula to gently lift the dough from the paper. Shape your dough in whichever method is the easiest for you. Of course, the smaller beavertails are easier to shape and drop in the hot oil. Shaping one at a time is recommended, while another one is frying.
Step 4 – Once your oil reaches 360°- 375° F you can start frying. Carefully drop one flat piece of dough into the oil. You’ll want to fry each side for a few minutes. On average mine fried for a total of 3 to 4 minutes. Larger ones could take 5 minutes if you like crispier donuts. Once ready use a slotted spoon to lift the donut from the oil. Let the excess oil drip in the pot. Carefully transfer it to a wire rack while you fry the remaining beavertails.
Step 5 – Have fun decorating your beavertails with your choice of sweet toppings! Enjoy them while they are fresh!
Notes
Tips: You can place the fried beavertails/donuts on a wire rack to cool and then on brown paper/paper towels to help absorb any excess oil.
Skillet/pan option: If you want to try cooking the dough in a pan, that’s fine but keep in mind that it won’t necessarily have the crispiness of a fried donut. You can most definitely add a bit of oil or vegan butter to prevent sticking and help create some crispiness. The end product might end up being more like a pancake or sweet naan bread. Cook each side for a few minutes as you would a pancake.
Oven-baked option: To bake this dough in the oven, I would recommend shaping the beavertails/donuts the same way as you would when frying them. Placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet is highly recommended to bake them in the oven. The baking time would be approx. 3-5 minutes per side at 450° F. To get them a little crispier, you could consider brushing some oil on the parchment paper and even the tops of the dough but keep in mind that I did not test this method yet.
*Make sure to refresh your GF sourdough starter at least once or twice before using it. I used a brown rice sourdough starter but a sorghum starter should be fine.
** GF baking powder ingredients: Tapioca starch, cream of tartar, baking soda.
***Sub with 2 tablespoons golden flaxseed meal.
**** Homemade plant milk (hemp, oat, seed/nut milk) works best. If you find your dough mixture too dry it’s ok to add 1 or 2 extra tablespoons of hemp milk. The consistency of the dough needs to be thick enough to be manipulated by hand. To make homemade milk: blend seeds, grains or nuts of choice with water. On average it’s about 1/3 cup of seeds/nuts to 1-1/4 cups of water. If the seeds/nuts you choose are harder, soak them for a few hours before blending them. Strain milk for a smooth finish.