Blood Orange Donuts

Well, the Williams Sonoma on Bloor Street is closing.  It’s unfortunate as it was a great location, but the silver lining is that they’re having a 40% off everything closing sale and I got a donut pan for $10.  You gotta look for the silver lining!

This was my first foray into donuts and I’d always been intrigued.  When you’re baking them, it’s pretty similar to making a cake except the pan is way more fun.  I decided to make these even more fun with a striking blood orange glaze.  The beautiful pink colour is just from the juice, no dye at all.

If you want to make these even more fun, add sprinkles or edible glitter for a little donut party.  After all, it’s winter and we need to get through it somehow.

Ingredients (Makes 9 donuts)

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• Pinch baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp blood orange zest
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk

• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• Juice of half a blood orange
• Pinch of salt
• A bit of vanilla, like less than 1/4 tsp

Steps

Preheat oven to 425F and grease donut tin with butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together butter, honey, sugar and zest until smooth and combined. In a separate, small bowl, whisk together vanilla, egg and milk.

Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until combined.  Add the remaining flour mixture and mix, careful not to overblend.

Carefully spoon the batter into the donut pan until 1/2-3/4 full.  Bake for 7-8 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Pop out of pan and allow to cool on a rack.

While the donuts cool, make the glaze by whisking together icing sugar and blood orange juice until smooth.  Add salt and vanilla and stir until combined.  Adjust to taste.

Once donuts are cool, carefully dip the top in glaze and set on a rack at room temperature.  Once the first glaze coat is set, you can dip again for a double glaze (I recommend for especially bright colour).