Home Made Donuts ala Krispy Kreme

 

Tangzhong :

• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup water

Dough :

• 2 1/2 cups All purpose flour
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp yeast
• 1/2 cup tangzhong

Glaze :

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp water

Directions :

Make the tangzhong by mixing the flour and water and heating it while stirring constantly until it forms a sort of paste. You know this when swirl lines form as you stir. Set this aside and let it cool. I like to put it in a bowl and cover the top with cling wrap placed against the mixture so that a ‘skin’ doesn’t form as it cools.
Dump all the ingredients for the dough into a mixer with a dough hook attachment (or you can use a bread machine like she does in 365 degree Oven) and knead for about 15 minutes until it can be stretched to form a window pane. I set my Kitchenaide to about 3.
Transfer to a greased bowl and let rise for 45 minutes, then punch down and let rise for another 30 to 45 minutes.
When the dough is done, roll it out into a rectangle onto a floured surface until its about 1/2 inch thick.
You can use a large circle cookie cutter (365 recommends a 3 inch circle) to cut a large circle and a smaller one to cut the ‘donut hole’. I just used one of these because I had one.
Use a flat spatula to place donuts on a floured parchment sheet, making sure the donuts are not touching one another since they will expand. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour. I’ll explain why I recommend using parchment paper instead of just any floured surface later.
Make the glaze by mixing all the ingredients together.
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a pan to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) since this is ideal for deep frying. In my case since I don’t have a thermometer, I tested the oil for the proper ‘hotness’ by dropping a bit of the donut dough into the oil. Its hot enough when the dough floats right back up in all its golden brown glory after a few seconds (about 4 to 5 secs). If your dough burns then its too hot. Now for the reason I like placing the donuts on parchment is so I can cut out each section with a donut on it and use the parchment to ‘pick up’ the donuts and drop them into the oil.This way, I don’t disrupt the donut’s shape. Or you can always use a flat spatula again to pick them up and drop them into the oil.
Lower a few donuts at a time into the hot oil and fry for 30 to 45 seconds until golden brown. Insert a chopstick (or barbecue stick into the hole and flip over to fry the other side for another 30 to 45 seconds or until golden brown. Remove and place on a rack to cool. If you’re worried about excess oil, put a paper towel over the cooling rack to absorb excess oil.
When its cool enough to touch, dunk donut halfway into the glaze to coat. Place on a clean rack or a plate and let it cool for five more minutes just until the glaze sets. Serve with a hot cup of coffee and enjoy!