From The WorkTop
Makes around 12 doughnuts
They’re not as complicated as you think, but you really shouldn’t try to attempt doughnuts without a mesh spider or a thermometer. My only other advice is to glaze the day you eat them. You want the icing to have texture. If you leave them overnight, they lose that crisp light coating.
Ingredients:
- 300ml whole milk
- 7g instant yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 113g unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 50g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 535g bread flour (plus more for rolling out the dough)
- oil (for frying)
Glaze:
- 500g icing sugar
- 120ml milk
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions:
-
In a medium bowl, heat the milk in the microwave until it is warm to the touch, about 45 seconds. Add in the yeast and give it a gentle stir. Let the mixture sit until there is some foam on top, about 5 minutes.
-
Using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, beat together the yeast mixture, the eggs, butter, sugar and salt until combined. Add in about half of the flour and mix until combined. Add in the remaining flour and mix until combined. During the mixing process, you may need to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. If the dough is too wet to handle, add in flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Cover the bowl with a large kitchen towel, and leave it in a warm place to let it rise until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
-
When the dough is done rising, pour it onto a well-floured surface and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut the doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, or with 2 different sized round cookie cutters (the large cutter should be about 3-inches in diameter). Save the doughnut holes. Knead scraps together, being careful not to overwork the dough, and repeat the process of rolling it out and cutting the doughnuts.
-
Place the cut doughnuts on parchment paper, leaving room to rise between each one. (TIP: I place each doughnut on an individual piece of parchment paper, so it is easy to transfer into the hot oil for frying.) Cover the doughnuts with a kitchen towel and let them rise in a warm place until they are puffed up about 45 minutes.
-
About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, heat oil in a deep-fryer or large heavy-bottomed pot to 190°C. Place cooling racks on top of sheets of paper towels parchment paper, or line plates with paper towels.
-
When the doughnuts are ready and the oil is hot, carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time without overcrowding your deep-fryer or pot. When the bottom of the doughnuts are golden, about 45 seconds, flip the doughnuts over using a spatula. Cook until the other side is also golden. Doughnut holes will cook quicker. Remove doughnuts with a tong or slotted spatula, and place on the prepared racks or plates. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts, making sure to keep the oil at the right temperature.
Glaze
-
In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, milk and salt until smooth. If you prefer a thinner glaze on the doughnuts, add in more milk one teaspoon at a time.
-
Place a cooling rack on top of paper towels or parchment paper for easy cleanup.
-
Dip one side of the fried doughnuts into the glaze. Flip the doughnut over using a fork. Carefully transfer the glazed doughnut to the prepared cooling rack. The glaze will slowly drip off the doughnuts as it sets. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.