Will you be my Valentine?

Chocolate Donuts

(from Love from the Oven)

Last weekend was my friend Jake's birthday. My Michigan friends and I made the trip to see our Chicago friends to celebrate Jake's special day! Jake and his fiancé, Sarah, were even kind enough to let us take over their living room with futons and air mattresses and in the morning a certain sneaky friend quietly escaped through the front door. The rest of us were starting to stir when in walks sneaky friend with a giant Dunkin Donuts bag. Our sleepy little eyes widened with joy as she pulled out 2 huge boxes of donuts and a bag of bagels. Talk about a great hostess!

I was thinking about how special it felt to indulge in those delicious sprinkled pastries and since Valentine's Day is around the corner (yes, it's this Tuesday, in case you forgot), I decided to regale my loved ones with homemade donut treats!

I searched high and low for Valentine's Day sprinkles to no avail (okay, I only went to three stores) but we had red and white sprinkles that sufficed. Next year I will plan ahead and get my festive sprinkles before Michael's sells out.  Besides the sprinkles, the donuts were so delicious!  I gave some to my boyfriend, my brother, and my parents and they were a hit!

Chocolate Donuts

Recipe...

(Makes 12 donuts)

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 325.  Spray donut baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Stir dry ingredients together in mixing bowl.  Add egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla.  Blend until smooth using a mixer on medium speed.
3. Put batter in a ziploc bag.  Squeeze batter into one corner and cut of the tip.  Pipe batter into each cooking reservoir.
4. Bake about 8 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, a touch of vanilla, and enough water to make a thin glaze.
6. While still warm, dip each donut in glaze, turning with a fork, and lay on a cooling rack.
7. When donuts are cooled, dip the to of each in chocolate glaze (optional)

Chocolate glaze

Recipe...

(Makes more than enough glaze for 12 donuts)

• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1. In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup.  Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.