Banh Tieu (Vietnamese Hollow Sesame Doughnut), Sweetened with Monk Fruit

Method

1. Put 90g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend in a small bowl, add 60ml boiling water and stir until dissolved, then add 100ml water little by little until the mixture is around 50C, and stir in the yeast.
2. Mix 300g all purpose flour with the baking powder in a large bowl, push the flour out to the sides to make a well, and pour the sweetened liquid and 1 teaspoon cooking oil into the middle.
3. Use a fork to bring everything together into a rough mass.
4. Dust the counter with flour, turn the dough out, fold it in half and press down with the heel of your hand, repeating until it is smooth, with no lumps and not sticky.
5. Oil a bowl lightly, put the dough in, cover it and proof for 1 to 2 hours until risen.
6. Press the dough down gently, knead it once more until smooth, divide into small balls, roll them in 40g sesame seeds, then roll out to about 0.7cm thick and dust lightly with flour.
7. Heat a pan with oil about two thirds deep. Once the oil is hot, lower the heat, add a doughnut and turn it quickly so both sides brown evenly.
8. Lift each golden doughnut onto a plate lined with paper towel and continue with the rest of the dough.

Tips

• Rolling the dough too thin leaves too little crumb for the doughnut to puff up.
• Let the oil get properly hot before lowering it to medium, since cool oil leaves the doughnuts flat.
• Overproofing also flattens them, so keep to 1 to 2 hours.
• Rolling the balls in sesame while they are still slightly damp keeps the seeds on during frying.
• Wait for the sweetened liquid to drop to about 50 degrees C before the yeast goes in, as hotter liquid kills it.