Chocolate Rose Baked Donuts
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What does this food offer in terms of nutrients and physical nourishment?
Protein (milk, egg)
Carbohydrates (milk, flour, maple syrup)
Fat (milk, butter, oil)
Other (chocolate is a good source of magnesium and iron, as well as many other trace minerals)
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What does this food offer in terms of mental satisfaction through flavor, texture, and experience?
Dense
Sweet
Rich
We can probably all agree that food is better than flowers, but why not just have both?? This is probably not going to come as a surprise to you but I am very into celebrating holidays through food. Food is most certainly my love language and I love making things for myself and my loved ones. Last year, I made a batch of these Chocolate Rose donuts and handed them out as little valentines to my neighbors. This year, we’re probably just going to snack on them solo. I am definitely not complaining!
The base of these rich and fluffy treats is cocoa powder (of course, it is Valentine’s Day after all!) and lightly sweetened with maple syrup that leaves the cake as moist as it is decadent. In this recipe, we use straight chocolate as the topping to create a crunchy shell rather than using frosting. And to top it all off, why not make it rain rose petals? Rose petals add a subtle sweet, floral note that pairs perfectly with rich, bold dark chocolate.
One thing I want to make very clear here is that these donuts are not intended to be a seamless replacement for fried donuts. My goal here is not giving you a recipe for a healthier donut, or one you can eat guilt-free. Because, I hope by now you’ve realized, that all foods can be welcomed and celebrated in a healthy diet and that you should never feel guilty for eating a food that you enjoy and fills you up in any way, both physically and spiritually. And believe me, I’ve had donuts that transported me straight to the good place.
So if you like cake-style donuts, you’re definitely going to like these but if you’re trying to subdue a craving for a Krispy Kreme, these aren’t it! I am not the biggest cake or cupcake fan, but I really enjoy the shape and texture of baked donuts. This recipe can easily be made into cake or cupcakes, if that’s more your style (however, you’ll need to adjust cooking time accordingly). I love my donut silicon pan and I got mine on Amazon. I also have it on good authority that places like Williams Sonoma, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, etc. also offer options.
Allergens: Wheat/gluten, dairy, eggs
Servings: 6 donuts
Prep time: 20 minutes (including frosting)
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose or 1:1 gluten free flour blend (if needed)
1 cup milk of choice
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted or cooled
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder if using GF flour, 1/2 tsp if not
1/4 tsp salt
1 dark chocolate bar, for coating donuts
1/2-1 tsp oil for greasing pan
Optional: Food grade rose petals (available in tea and herb shops and online, just be sure they are food grade so that you’re not consuming heavily sprayed flower petals. You can also use food grade lavender petals or even sprinkles!)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the donut tray.
Tip: I prefer to use a spray oil to ensure it’s coated with a light, even layer.
In a large mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients.
In a smaller bowl, combine dry ingredients (except petals).
Gradually add dry ingredients to wet bowl, 1/2 cup at a time until evenly incorporated and batter is smooth.
Using a large spoon, fill the donut tray with batter until 2/3 full.
Place tray on large baking sheet. I find that this makes it easier to pull from the oven, rather than having to balance a hot, flexible tray.
Bake for 25 minutes or until center is completely done.
Allow to cool before removing from tray. Let stand to cool completely before dipping in chocolate (a warm donut is a soft, crumbly donut!).
Break chocolate bar until smaller pieces. Melt over low heat in a small saucepan, stirring frequently.
When chocolate is completely melted, you can either use a spoon to drizzle or spread it over the top or carefully dip the donuts into the chocolate. I prefer the spoon and spread method because I’m clumsy and have no patience, but that’s just me!
Sprinkle desired toppings and very lightly press(like, the most gentle you’ve ever pressed something in your life!) into the chocolate.
Place donuts on room temperature baking sheet and place in freezer until the chocolate shell sets (~5 minutes). Serve room temperature and store in the fridge for up to one week.
