Salty Sea Dogs Donuts

When I was working on my review of Jessica Segarra's Mini Donuts - and I was trying to decide which donuts to try - Brian was one of the friends I tapped to peruse the recipes. He received three post-its and had to pick his top three. One of his choices was one that I would have picked myself, though I didn't make them for the review.

Since Brian turns 40 today, I figured that a batch of donuts was a fitting way to usher in this new decade. I just needed to make them manly versus dainty. I went with a pirate theme: dark rum, salted meat, and sea salt...because you're never too old to want to be a pirate, right?

I tweaked Jessica's recipes a wee bit, subbing some dark rum for vanilla. Then I made mini bars with a chocolate ganache, dotted with bacon. As with my review batch, the donut batter is the same for both; I just mixed it up with the toppings.

The Batter
Mini Donuts's Salted Caramel Mini Donut recipe

1 1/3 C all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 large egg
1/2 C dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 C organic whole milk
3 T safflower oil
2 t dark rum

Whisk everything together in a mixing bowl. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the hollows of your baking dish. Fill the hollows three-quarters of the way up. Bake for 13 minutes. Let cool slightly then invert onto a wire cooling rack.

The Caramel
Adapted from the caramel in my homemade Snickers recipe

1 C organic granulated sugar

1/2 C packed organic brown sugar

1/2 C ginger syrup
1 1/2 C organic heavy whipping cream
1/2 C butter
1 t sea salt

In a medium-size pot, combine sugar, brown sugar, ginger syrup, whipping cream, butter and sea salt. Monitor the heat of the mixture with a candy thermometer while stirring. When the thermometer reaches 244 degrees remove the pot from the heat. Cool for at least 10 minutes before dipping your donuts. 

The Ganache
Mini Donuts's Dark Chocolate-Ganache Mini Donut recipe

3 oz dark dark chocolate, chipped
1/2 C organic heavy cream
2 T organic granulated sugar
1 T butter

Place everything except for the cream in a mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Pour the cream into the mixing bowl, making sure that the chocolate is completely submerged. Let sit for 3 minutes. Whisk till smooth. Cool for at least 10 minutes before dipping your donuts.
Dip donuts and place on a wire rack over parchment paper to set.

Variations Today: Donut + sea salt caramel + sea salt flakes. Donut + dark chocolate ganache + bacon bits + freshly ground cinnamon sugar.

Happy Birthday, Brian!