Doughnuts with White Chocolate and Peppermint Glaze

I don't need any excuse to eat doughnuts.  I will happily eat them for breakfast or dessert.  I'm really not fussy about what end of the day I get them, as long as they are fresh out of the fryer and dipped, dusted, dunked or drizzled in something sweet and decadent. I'm not hard to please... really I'm not.

Doughnuts with White Chocolate and Peppermint Glaze

Makes 12-14 (plus holes)

slightly adapted from here

For the Doughnuts:

2½ teaspoon dried yeast

60ml lukewarm full cream milk

110g caster sugar

485g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

250ml buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

40g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Sunflower oil for deep frying

For the Glaze:

80ml cream

100g white chocolate, chopped

240g pure icing sugar, sifted

2 drops green food colouring

4 drops peppermint extract (or to taste)

Make the Doughnuts:

Line a baking sheet with baking paper and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast, milk and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and set aside for 10 minutes to become foamy.  Add the flour and remaining sugar, along with the buttermilk, egg and butter and mix on low for 5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap.  Set aside in a warm spot for about 1½ hours or until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll it out to 5mm thick and use a doughnut cutter (Or two cookie cutters measuring 9cm for the doughnut and 3.5cm for the hole) to cut the dough.  Place the doughnuts and holes onto the prepared baking sheet.  Lightly cover with greased plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes to become puffy.

I use a wok to deep fry my doughnuts, but any deep sided pan will do.  Half fill your pan with the oil and heat it to 170°C.  Fry the doughnuts in batches, 2 minutes per side, until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and cool them on a wire rack set over a baking tray. Let them become completely cool before glazing.

Make the Glaze:

Put the cream into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.  Add the chocolate and stir to combine.  The chocolate will melt in the heat of the cream.  Once the chocolate has melted add the icing sugar, stir to combine and add the food colouring and peppermint extract to taste.  Pour the warm glaze over the doughnuts, letting the excess drip down and onto the baking tray underneath.  The glaze will set within minutes.