Monday, November 26, 2012

Baking a Donut

 Hope you had a great holiday!  What did I make over Thanksgiving weekend?  Baked donuts!

Back story on why I ended up with this box of doughnut mix:  I usually avoid making anything from a box.  Some people think it's because I am a cooking snob (ok, yes, I fall in that category occasionally) but really it is because I don't want to spend an outrageous amount of money on what usually amounts to flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, flavoring and fillers and stabilizers.  I saw a box of brownie mix the other day for $8.  EIGHT DOLLARS, I tell you; it's an outrage!
  
 Anyways, back to my story, I signed up with this monthly goodie box called the Must Have Box from Popsugar, a website that covers everything from house ideas to style to fitness to pets.  And this box costs $35 a month (including shipping) and comes filled with goodies.  In just 3 months of boxes I have gotten a beautiful scarf, 2 books, a yoga dvd, thank you cards, a notepad, gummy bears, a leather and metal bracelet, shampoo and conditioner, lip balm, a variety pack of sea salts, socks, a scented candle, and salted soft caramels, and I can't even remember what else.  It's like getting a surprise gift every month.   This month's box also had this box of donut mix in it and I was intrigued. 
 I rarely eat donuts.  They just aren't my thing but these looked awfully tasty.  The only problem is that you need a special donut baking pan to bake them in.  Simple, I thought.  Uh, no.  We drove to 5 different stores (!!!!!)  before I finally settled on this mini bundt pan instead.  Only one store actually carried the donut pans but they were sold out of course.  It also happened to be black Friday when I decided I absolutely had to have a donut pan so that made the adventure slightly more crazed than it needed to be.

I had to add egg, melted butter, and milk to the dry mix and it was very sticky and hard to put into the pan.  (See above.)  I had to use 2 teaspoons to spoon tiny amounts into the mold.  After I baked them I dipped them in melted butter and tossed them with cinnamon sugar.  This was the most important step. 

They turned out really lovely and quite delicious too!  Our coffee and donut guests ate them right up!
Now I am just going to find a recipe versus buying the boxed version.  Maybe chocolate glazed with sprinkles next?