Baked Vanilla Bean Donuts

With all the scary and heartbreaking events that seem to be occurring on a more regular basis around the world, writing about food seems so petty.  It makes your own problems or struggles seem so little and unimportant.  And, it makes you feel so little on the large scale of earth.  But, we must power through and continue on this path we call life.  Through all the trials and tribulations life may throw at us, big or small, I find that food is the one constant.  It is something that you can bring to a grieving friend or loved one, or as a gift of celebration for something as simple as a birthday, or as big as having a new baby.  Food is something you can make for yourself, and the process can sometimes be therapeutic.  In my book, food is the greatest gift, hands down.

With all the scary things happening in this world in the past few days, I thought that perhaps some simple and healthier donuts were in order.  I have been meaning to share these for ages, I just haven’t gotten my act together to write about them.  This is the perfect baked goodie to make a large batch of, and bring to your neighbor, or a friend, or just enjoy for yourself.  What ever you decide to do with these donuts, remember to stop and smell the flowers once in a while.  Take a donut, sit outside in the spring sunshine, watch the birds, smell the ocean and fresh air.  Remember to take a minute for yourself and be thankful for the little things around you.  I know I need to do that more often.

My heart goes out to you, Manchester, England.

Recipe adapted from The Faux Martha

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Baked Vanilla Bean Donuts

Yield: 12 donuts

Prep Time: 7 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 14 minutes

These baked donuts are a faster and healthier way to get your favorite breakfast treat in a quick amount of time with less hassle.

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Ingredients

For the donuts

• 1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 vanilla bean

For the glaze

• 1 Tablespoon half and half
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  Grease a 12 donut pan.  Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and vinegar. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes.  Melt the butter in a separate medium bowl and set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Set aside.
4. Whisk the sugar, honey, egg and vanilla bean seeds scraped from half a pod, into the cooled butter until evenly combined.  Whisk in milk.  Whisk the milk mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.  Scoop the batter into a piping bag and pipe evenly into the prepared pan, about 2/3 full.  If you have any batter left over, make donut "holes" in a mini muffin pan.
5. Bake for 7 minutes. Allow to cool 1 minute before turning pan over to remove donuts onto a cooling rack.
6. Meanwhile, make glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the half and half, the remaining half of the vanilla bean seeds, and powdered sugar until smooth.
7. Once the donuts have cooled completely, dip in the glaze.  Place on cooling rack to allow the glaze to set.

Notes

Store in a ziplock bag up to 3 days.

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