Chocolate Glazed Baked Doughnut Muffins

I made you Chocolate Glazed Baked Doughnut Muffins today, 'cause that's just the kinda person I am... greedy. Who do I think I'm kidding when I ask myself "what can I make for my invisible internet friends... oh, and husband and children?" We all know the truth. It's my own mouth I'm thinking of. Okay, so I'm a dirty rotten liar. But when a doughnut craving hits me, I'll use any excuse to glaze dough.

I know these aren't technically the classic fried, yeasted doughnut . But these doughnut muffins have the taste and texture of a doughnut without all the deep frying (and the hole). How many more times can I write doughnut do you think?

When I made Churros, I was inspired by a Spanish meal (and a hangover). Today I was inspired by the desire to eat glazed doughnuts with my coffee without the need for a deep fryer. Enter stage left, the glazed doughnut muffin... with my breakfast coffee, my lunch coffee and my dinner coffee. Coffee and doughnuts, till death do they part.




Chocolate Glazed Baked Doughnut Muffins
from Joy the Baker
makes 8 doughnut muffins

For the Doughnut Muffins:
130g plain flour
45g wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bi-carbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
55g cup caster sugar
30g tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
1/4 cup full-cream milk, scalded
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten

For the Chocolate Glaze:
55g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
55g  dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
1 cup icing sugar, sifted

Sprinkles to decorate

Make the Muffins:
Place a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin pan.

Whisk together the flours, baking powder, bi-carbonate of soda, nutmeg, salt and sugar. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients. Keep rubbing the butter into the flour until the butter is fully incorporated. Set aside.

In a small pan, heat the milk until almost boiling and remove from the heat. Whisk together yogurt, egg and vanilla extract. Add the warm milk and whisk to incorporate. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir together with a spatula until just incorporated. Be careful not to over beat.

Gently spoon batter into muffin tins. Muffins tins should be filled halfway. Bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the muffins are lightly golden brown and springy to the touch. Insert a skewer into the center of a muffin to test for doneness. If the skewer comes out clean, the muffins are done! Remove from the oven.

Make the Chocolate Glaze:
Heat the butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Whisk in the icing sugar. Dip the muffin tops in the glaze while the glaze is warm, then sprinkle with the, ummmm... sprinkles.