Baked Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Glaze

                                

One of the things you should know about the Bookworm Family is that we love to eat and adore cooking together.  The other evening my 12 year old and my 8 year old decided it was a good night to bake donuts.  I couldn't think of a reason to not bake donuts ... so we did.  Can I just say that I LOVE baking with my kids!?!!

One of the gifts I received last week for my birthday was a set of Wilton donut pans from my mother-in-law (she found them on Amazon.ca if you're interested).  I've been hunting for these pans for awhile now and I'm thrilled to finally have them in my kitchen arsenal.  I have a pan that makes 6 large donuts and a pan which makes 12 mini donuts.  Oh the fun that the Bookworm family is going to have!

As I've said before, one of my kids has a severe peanut allergy which means that he's never really had a fresh donut.  There are some safe packaged donuts that you can buy in a food store but they're never that fresh.  I wanted to give m' boy a fresh donut dipped in a wonderful glaze!

Now you might be asking why I wouldn't just buy a deep fryer and get my donut groove on!  I don't have a deep fryer for one simple reason ... I don't trust myself.  Nope.  Not one bit.  If I had a deep fryer the Bookworm Family would be trying all sorts of goodies in the fryer from dill pickes to gummy worms to marshmallows and Captain Crunch.  We are a curious bunch and we ... have ... no ... will power!  So ixnay on the deep fryer.

This is where these donut pans come in.  Not only do they make cute, easy donuts but they're a healthier option.  They're still not up there in healthiness with broccoli and kale but they're better than their deep fried cousin.

These donuts have a cake-like texture (like the chocolate glazed donuts at Tim Horton's) and went over REALLY well with my Little Bookworms who were vying for the last few mini donuts.   Our mini donuts were on the plump side so they lost their hole and looked more like mini muffins.  Don't get me wrong, we ATE them, they just looked a little different.  

The original recipe is from Shugary Sweets which is a blog that is filled with delicious recipes that I can't wait to try.   If you have a chance go on over and check out Aimee's blog!

Needless to say we're already in talks about making a vanilla version this weekend.  Let's just say that with a rainy cold day in the forecast tomorrow it's lookin' like there'll be vanilla donuts baking in my house tomorrow.  Donuts in about 40 minutes = happy Bookworm Family.  Enjoy!

Baked Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Glaze
Yield: approximately 10 large donuts & 12 mini donuts 

DONUTS

2 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp milk
2 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled

CHOCOLATE GLAZE
1 Tbsp half and half creamer
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp corn syrup
1 oz bittersweet baking chocolate
1 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

GARNISH IDEAS: Coloured sprinkles, shredded coconut

Prepare Donuts:

Preheat oven to 325F.

Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Beat in the eggs, milk, vanilla and melted butter. Mix until just blended.

Spray donut pan with cooking spray. Cut a small hole in one corner of a large Ziploc bag.  Fill the Ziploc with your batter then squeeze the batter out through the hole into each donut cup, filling approximately 1/2 to 3/4 full.  Filling 1/2 full with give you thin donuts.  Filling 3/4 full with give you Bookworm Family-sized donuts (the donuts in the picture above were filled 3/4 full).  Using the Ziploc makes filling the pan much easier and a whole lot less messy! 

Bake donuts for about 10 minutes. If a toothpick inserted into one of the donuts (not the middle, ha ha!) comes out clean the donuts are done.  Allow to cool slightly then remove from pan.

MAKE CHOCOLATE GLAZE: While the donuts are baking, prepare the chocolate glaze.  In small saucepan on medium-low heat, mix together the creamer, milk, butter, vanilla and corn syrup. When butter is completely melted, turn heat to low and add in the chocolate and chocolate chips. Remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar.

Dip each donut into glaze (I dipped a donut in then gave my wrist a twist to get the glaze to sit properly and neatly).  If the glaze starts to cool off and thicken heat it up a bit.  Sprinkle with garnish, if desired.  Place donuts on a wire rack to continue cooling.  Allow chocolate to set for approximately 15 minutes.  

Last but not least .... try not to eat them all in one sitting.  I dare you!  If you happen to have more will power than we do keep in an air-tight container.

Warning:  If you so happen to take your already glazed donut and dip it into the leftover glaze so that it's more glaze than donut you 'may' experience an unhappy tummy from the excessive sweetness.  The research I conducted was pretty conclusive. 

Inspired by: http://www.shugarysweets.com/2011/10/chocolate-donuts-baked.html?showComment=1319373358792&m=1#c2317954885716964799