Chocolate Doughnuts With Chocolate Ganache And Chopped Nuts

Ingredients for the doughnuts:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup dutch process cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 eggs
2 T butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional: 1/2 cup of chopped semi-sweet chocolate

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for ganache:
1 cup of high quality milk chocolate chips
2 to 3 T heavy cream
1/2 to 3/4 cup of roasted and salted pistachios or roasted and salted almonds, roughly chopped

Preparing the doughnuts:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray donut pan lightly with non-stick spray.

In a small bowl beat the eggs and vanilla. In a large bowl mix the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add in the buttermilk, stir a bit, then add in the melted butter, and finally add egg mixture. Mix until just combined; do not over-mix.

Fill each donut mold about 2/3 full. Bake about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on cooling rack. Place parchment paper underneath cooling racks to make it easier to drizzle the donuts with ganache.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the ganache:
Melt the chocolate chips with the heavy cream, keep stirring till you get a nice glossy and consistency. Pour chocolate over donuts and/or dip donuts in chocolate. Top with chopped nuts. Let chocolate set before serving.

Makes 12 to 15 doughnuts