How about some doughnuts...

I have to start off by saying that this recipe was inspired and adapted from my fav blog- 'I made that" 

I wanted you all to have a step by step guide to making your own homemade doughnuts, and to see how EASY they are to make...

 How to... make DOUGHNUTS!

(Makes 10 – 12 doughnuts)
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup whole milk
340g bread flour, divided
3 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons castor sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
60g butter
vegetable oil

STEP 1

Start with a very wet and sticky dough.

- Heat the milk to 100 degrees. Stove top or microwave (+/-20 seconds). Stir in the yeast until it is dissolved. Move to a medium bowl and add 150g of the bread flour. Stir until it forms a smooth paste. Cover the bowl in plastic to prevent drying out and place in a warm spot to rise. The inside of your oven is a great place, oven turned off of course.

- When the mixture has doubled in size (about an hour, depending on the temperature of your house, it will now look more like a sponge), add it to a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or old school bowl and wooden spoon). Add the egg yolks, castor sugar and salt and mix on low speed until smooth.

- Mix butter and vanilla essence. Heat just until melted. Add to the dough in the mixer and mix on low speed until smooth. With the mixer running, slowly add the rest of the flour, sprinkling in at the side. Keep mixing until it just comes together into a smooth dough. It will be quite wet and sticky, but should be able to hold together as one “lump” of dough. If not, add a bit more flour, one tablespoon at a time.

- Brush a large bowl lightly with vegetable oil. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot to rise.

Let it rise until it doubled in size.

 STEP 2

- Once the dough has doubled in size, pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out.

- On a well-floured surface, gently roll out the dough to about 1,5cm thickness. Use a cutter to stamp out whatever shapes you like. Place the stamped dough on a greased baking sheet, cover with plastic and allow to rise again in a warm spot.

- Once the doughnuts are almost doubled in size, begin heating 5-10cm of vegetable oil in a large pot. When the the oil reaches 360º start frying the doughnuts in batches. Fry them until golden brown on each side, the total frying time will be under 2 minutes. Use tongs to flip and retrieve them.

- Allow to drain on a wire rack over a sheet tray. While still warm, drizzle with glaze. If making chocolate doughnuts, wait until they have cooled and then dip half in the chocolate glaze.

STEP 3 

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup milk

- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until smooth. If it is lumpy, pour it through a fine sieve.