Week 16 Dish 2: Vegan spiced pear bread

SJT done!!!!!!!!!! It is such a relief! For those of you who don't know, it's the situational judgement test that all medical students have to take in their final year. It's not really an exam that can be revised for, it's more common sense questions. We get points out of 50 for the test, and this is added to the points out of 50 that we get for our degree/ educational achievements. We are then ranked alongside all other medical students who are applying for a junior doctor position base on our total points. And where in the UK we work as junior doctors depends on our rank - the people with the highest rank get their top choice etc. So basically, the exam I had yesterday decides the next two years of my life. Scary right? That's why I'm just glad that it's over - more time would not have given me a better score.

Anyway, on to the yummy stuff. Today was the first time since I begun this baking challenge that I really found it difficult to bake. I was out all day (went to an Anthony Horowitz event for his new Alex Rider book, followed by a Crisis at Christmas induction, and finally to see my 10-day-old baby nephew who is just too cute) and I just wanted to sit and do nothing. But, I did get my butt into the kitchen, and as usual ended with a yummy bake. Definitely worth it!! Another easy recipe that anyone can try :D

Makes one loaf
Ingredients
2 ripe medium-size pears
2 tbsp ground linseed
6 tbsp soya milk
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 heaped tsp cinnamon
1 heaped tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar
Method

1. Chop the pears into 1/2 inch pieces. In a small bowl, mix the linseed and soya milk and let sit for five minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line an 8x4 inch loaf tin with grease proof paper.
3. In a large bowl, combine the oil, vanilla, pear, sugar and linseed-milk mixture. The pears will get a bit smooshed but that's fine.
4. In another bowl mix the flour, spices, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. The mix will be very thick and seem a bit dry but when it starts baking all the pear juices will make the loaf nice and moist, so don't worry!
5. Spoon the batter into the loaf tin and bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Just like the pear muffins I made last week, the pear juices seep into the whole bread and make it moist, sweet and delicious. Let it cool a bit before slicing otherwise it will crumble, though not when completely cold - nothing like warm fresh bread!

Original recipe: Seasonal spiced pear bread

Week 16 Dish 1: Vegan baked mini apple donuts

Happy Hanukkah!! I have never really thought about Hannukah as I don't know anyone who observes it, but on my ENT placement last week one of the doctors was Jewish. So I thought, why not bake something to celebrate this festival? During Hannukah, there is a custom of eating food fried in oil to commemorate the miracle of a small bottle of oil keeping the flame in the temple alight for eight days. In the modern day, donuts have become of the foods that are eaten during Hannukah. I couldn't quite bring myself to make deep fried donuts so instead I ordered a mini donut tray and found a baked recipe. The original recipe was for large donuts but I adapted it slightly for mini donuts.

Just to warn you, I have an exam tomorrow (the SJT) that counts for 50% of the points in my application for a junior doctor position - so it's safe to say that that though these are baked and not fried, they are by no means healthy. Indulge with me! ;)

Makes 40 mini donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts
1 cup plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup maple syrup/ agave/ honey
1/4 cup apple juice/ cider (this was apple cider in the original recipe but my mum isn't a big fan of alcohol in general so I substituted it with juice - but of course you can use either!)
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 tbsp canola/ rapeseed oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the apple cider glaze
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp apple juice/ cider
For the cinnamon sugar topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Brush a mini donut tray with oil (I have a 20-donut tray, so I did it in two batches).
2. In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, apple juice/ cider, apple sauce, canola oil and vanilla extract. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and combine.
4. Spoon or pipe batter into the donut tray. Don't fill more than 3/4 full - this is quite tedious but persevere, it's worth it!
5. Bake for 6-8 minutes and allow to cool in the tray for a few minutes. Then, carefully remove from the tray and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
6. In the mean time make the glaze and sugar. In a shallow bowl whisk together the icing sugar and apple juice/ cider. In another bowl mix the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar topping.
7. Once the donuts are cool, dip them into the glaze and immediately sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Let the glaze harden and enjoy (or do what I did and eat 7. Talk about comfort eating)

Original recipe: Baked apple cider donuts

Very mini