To create the chia egg, transfer the chia seeds to a small bowl and add 6 tbsp water. Stir to combine, then set to one side so the chia seeds absorb the water while you carry out the next steps.
Combine the flour, yeast, 4 tbsp caster sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl, and create a well in the middle.
In a small saucepan, gently heat the plant-based milk, apple cider vinegar and plant-based spread until fully melted. Pour the melted mixture into the dry ingredients. Then add the chia egg and stir until a dough is formed.
Remove the dough from the bowl, dust a work surface with flour and knead for 10 minutes. Add more flour as you go if the dough is too sticky. The dough should be tacky but it shouldn't stick to your hands.
Lightly oil the mixing bowl and add the dough back to the bowl, then cover with a tea towel. Leave to prove for 1-2 hours in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.
Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
Remove the tea towel from the bowl and gently punch the dough to remove the air. Dust a work surface with flour and roll the dough out until it's 2cm thick. Then use a round stencil cutter or a glass to cut the dough into 7cm wide circles, and lay the circles of dough onto the baking trays (this should make 12-15 donuts). Make sure you leave space between each doughnut as they'll grow in size in the oven. Cover the trays with tea towels and leave to prove for a further 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180°C / 356°F.
Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes. After 8 minutes we usually turn the trays around to ensure the donuts brown evenly but keep an eye on them and check again after 10 minutes.
Remove the donuts from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile add a few tablespoons of caster sugar to a bowl and melt a large tablespoon of plant-based spread in a small saucepan.
Brush the donuts with the melted spread, then dunk them straight into the sugar until fully coated (add more sugar to the bowl as you go). Then, using a knife, make an incision into the side of each donut approximately 2/3 of the way in.
Add half a jar of jam to a piping bag with a small nozzle and pipe the jam into the doughnuts via the incision made earlier. And there you have it, homemade baked jammy donuts! Best eaten fresh.
