Halloween Donuts

Last Thursday was an exciting and mementos day for me and The Little Epicurean.  A photograph of my s’mores cupcake and a little snippet about my blog was mentioned in the Foods Section of the Los Angeles Times!  I’ve never been so happy to see my name in print.

Baked Chocolate Donut
makes 24 mini donuts

Ingredients

• 100 g all purpose flour
• 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp espresso powder
• 75 g granulated sugar
• 15 g unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 100 g whole milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla paste

Method
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.  Lightly grease mini donut pan with cooking spray ( Pam, Baker’s Joy) or use a non stick donut pan.

2.  Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and espresso powder.  Place into a medium size bowl and whisk in sugar.  Set aside.

3.  Whisk together melted butter, egg, milk and vanilla paste.

4.  Add wet ingredients to bowl of dry ingredients.  Mix well until combined and there are no dry streaks of flour left.

5.  Fill prepared piping bag with batter.  Pipe batter into prepared donut pans, filling mold a little over half full.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Let cool in pan for 2 minutes before unmolding.  Let donuts cool on rack before frosting or decorating.

Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 Tbsp whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla paste

Method
1.  Melt together chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup, honey, and milk in the microwave at 15 second intervals.  Once melted, add vanilla paste and stir until combined.  Let sit for a couple minutes to thicken.

2.  Dip tops of donuts into the chocolate glaze.  Sprinkle with your choice of topping (chocolate jimmies, chopped nuts)  Let cool at room temperature for glaze to set.

3. If glaze gets too stiff or thick, microwave at 15 second intervals until fluid.  You can also flavor the glaze with extracts and oils.

Spice Donuts

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp More Than Cake Pumpkin Spice powder or substitute pumpkin pie spice or ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla paste

Method
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease mini donut pan with cooking spray or vegetable oil.  Prepare a piping bag with a small round tip.

2.  Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice powder. Set aside.

3.  In a large bowl,  beat together sugar and egg until thick and light in color.

4.  Add dry ingredients to sugar egg mixture.  Mix until combined.

5.  Whisk together oil, milk and paste paste.  Add to batter in two additions until incorporated.  Let batter stand for 3-5 minutes to thicken.

6. Transfer batter to prepared piping bag. Pipe batter into donut pan filling each mold a little over half full.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Let cool in pan for 2 minutes before unmolding.  Let cool on rack until ready to decorate.

Sugar Glaze

Ingredients

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 2 Tbsp whole milk
• 1/2 tsp More Than Cake Pumpkin Spice powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
• a couple drops of orange food coloring, if desired

Method
1.  In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients.  Stir until smooth and thick.  Add additional confectioner’s sugar if necessary.

2.  Dip tops on donut into the glaze.  Decorate.  Let cool on rack to set glaze.

3.  If glaze hardens too fast, microwave at 10 second intervals until fluid.