Peppermint Bark Chocolate Doughnuts
Our favorite sweet winter treat, peppermint bark—a thin layer each of semisweet chocolate and white chocolate, with crushed peppermint candies studding the top—is delicious by itself, but it also makes a dramatic addition to many desserts. Here, we sprinkle crushed bark on chocolate doughnuts for a dessert that will disappear in a flash from any holiday dessert buffet. Peppermint lovers may want to infuse the doughnuts with its flavor too by adding 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract along with the milk.
Ingredients:
For the chocolate glaze:
- 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) hot water
- 1/4 lb. (125 g) semisweet chocolate
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups (8 oz./250 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 5 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Nonstick cooking spray- 1 cup (5 oz./155 g) plus 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder (optional)
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) buttermilk
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) whole milk
- 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) (3 oz./90 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g) sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) crushed peppermint bark or peppermint candies
Directions:
To make the glaze, fill a small saucepan with 2 inches (5 cm) of water and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Place a medium bowl over but not touching the water. In the bowl, combine the hot water, chocolate, vanilla, confectioners’ sugar, butter and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth and well blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to keep warm until the doughnuts are ready to glaze, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Gently reheat in the bowl over the saucepan or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds before using.
To make the doughnuts, preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C). Coat the wells of a doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a measuring cup, stir together the buttermilk and whole milk. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.
On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition until just blended.
Pour 2 Tbs. batter into each prepared well. Bake, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted into the doughnuts comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then invert the doughnuts onto the rack and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, wash and dry the pan and repeat to bake the remaining batter. Dip the doughnuts, top side down, into the warm glaze, sprinkle with the peppermint bark and serve. Makes about 18 doughnuts.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma The Doughnut Cookbook (Weldon Owen, 2016)
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