Let’s make Donuts!
Living out of town on a conservation estate, quick trips to the donut shop is seldom possible. As such, sudden family-donut-cravings have urged me to try many donut recipes. Hence, here is my solution to an always-fresh donut, anytime! 🍩
After trying many different recipes, I still could not find one that has that distinct “donut” flavor. All the recipes I tried tasted rather, well, dough-y. That’s when I discovered the secret ingredient: nutmeg. The tiniest bit of nutmeg is what give these donuts that distinct flavor and makes them taste like they are from your local donut shop. These donuts are simple to make and only requires a bit of time.
When it comes to decorating these donuts, the sky is the limit. If it was up to me, I’d drizzle them with chocolate ganache and sprinkle them with hazelnuts. Or even fill them with lemon curd.
You can view my YouTube channel “Cooking In The Veld” by clicking the link below or by scanning the QR code.
YouTube Recipe Vlog: https://linktr.ee/Stean_Kruger
Let's make Donuts!
Equipment
- Stand mixer (optional)
Ingredients
For the donuts
- 280 g all-purpose flour (2 cups + 3 tbsp)
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 sachet instant yeast
- 40 g butter (melted)
- 160 ml milk (warm but not hot)
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (grated)
For the vanilla glaze
- 250 g powdered sugar
- 75 g butter (melted)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract or essence
- 3-5 tsp milk
Instructions
To make the donuts
- Mix the warm milk, melted butter, yeast, egg and 1 tsp of sugar together. Set aside for 5 minutes. Combine the flour, remaining sugar, salt and nutmeg.
- In a stand mixer, combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until combined. Reduce the speed and knead for 10-15 minutes until the dough comes together. The dough must be soft, slightly sticky and elastic. If the dough is too firm, add some more milk and incorporate by kneading gently. Form into a ball-shape. Brush the dough with melted butter and cover with cling film. Allow to proof in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Flour a work surface and roll the dough to approximately 1cm thick. For each donut, cut baking paper sheets into 8x8cm squares. This will make it easier to gently drop each donut into the oil without accidentally deflating them.
- Use a 7cm cutter to cut out the donuts. Keep re-rolling and cutting the dough until all is used up. Place the donuts on the baking paper sheets. Allow to proof for another 25 minutes until doubled in size.
- Heat vegetable oil to 160°C. Gently lower the donuts (on their baking paper sheets) into the oil – taking care not to deflate the donuts and fry gently in small batches until just slightly golden and fluffy. Adjust the heat constantly to avoid overheating the oil, this will cause the donuts to become too dark without being cooked through. I like my donuts rather light and only just golden.Place on a wired rack to drain excess oil and cool. Make the glaze.
To make the vanilla glaze
- Whisk the ingredients for the glaze together and gently coat the donuts. Test the consistency! If the glaze is too runny it will not stick to the donuts, if it is too thick it won't give you that glossy look. Place on a wired rack to set.Best served fresh.
Notes
- The dough should be soft and sticky when kneading. If the dough is too firm, add more milk and a little more melted butter. Firm dough will not rise well and will cause the donuts to be dense.
- Tip: Grease the inside of your stand mixer's bowl to avoid the dough from sticking when kneading.
