Chai glazed buttermilk donuts

With the HIMYM series finale looming in less than a week, I have to start thinking about a perfect HIMYM-themed dessert for the finale-watching-party. The only thing I can come up with at this point is something pineapple related. The only other food-related running joke I can think of are sandwiches, and we're not having those at the party (not HIMYM "sandwiches" anyways).

But in the meantime as I ponder that, I received another baking toy this week: the donut pan. I've always shied away from anything deep fried, not since the Great Deep Fried Snickerdoodle Popper Disaster of 2013. However this pan presents me the opportunity to bake, rather than fry, donuts.

There was even a recipe for buttermilk donuts included with the pan, making this even easier. The recipe called for cake flour instead of regular flour, but I was running out of cake flour. I ended up doing half cake flour and half regular all-purpose flour, and they seem to turn out fine.

For the glaze, I decided to go with the cinnamon flavor in the donuts and make a chai glaze. To help with the glazing process, I made the glaze in a shallow glass that was wide enough for the donuts to be dunked into.

These are yummy - and healthy! (Or at least healthier than a regular donut....) Now I can happily add donuts as another baking category I can experiment with - Krispy Kreme better watch out!

Baked buttermilk donuts
(Recipe from Nordic Ware)

• 1 cup/125 g cake flour
• 1 cup/125 g all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Prep donut pan by greasing the wells and dusting them lightly with flour to prevent sticking. 
2. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. 
3. Stir in buttermilk, eggs, butter, and vanilla. Mix until just combined. 
4. Fill each well in the donut pan 2/3 full (till the batter reaches the level of the middle post). 
5. Bake 10-12 minutes (top will spring back when poked). 
6. Let cool completely and then decorate!

Chai spiced glaze

(Recipe from My Baking Addiction)

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup/100 g powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp heavy cream

1. Melt butter in microwave. 
2. Stir in sugar and all the spices. Add the vanilla and cream. Stir until smooth (microwave in 30 second intervals to help). 
3. To glaze donuts, dip tops of donuts in the glaze and let cool.