Copycat Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Warm the milk until it's tepid (warm to the touch) which should take around 30-40 seconds if using a microwave. Add the yeast and stir until combined. Leave to rest for about 5 minutes. 

Use a stand mixer to beat together the yeast mixture, eggs, butter, salt and sugar. Add half the flour to the mix until it's combined. Once it's all mixed through, add the remaining flour. 

Using a light coating of oil, coat a clean mixing bowl and place your dough inside. Cover this with a tea towel and leave it to prove in a warm place. Leave it to double in size. 

Once the dough has doubled in size, take it to a floured surface and using a rolling pin roll out the dough to approximately ½ inch thickness. 

Using two circular cookie cutters, stamp out a large circle for the doughnut and a smaller circle in the centre to create the hole. The dough from the centre of the doughnut can be used to make doughnut holes so keep to one side if you want to fry them up later. Once you have cut out as many doughnuts as you can, gather the leftover dough and re-roll repeating the process. 

Cut the parchment paper into 18 squares, just a bit larger than the size of one doughnut. Place each doughnut on an individual piece of parchment paper once cut - this will make the frying process a little easier as you can lower each doughnut into the oil on the parchment paper.

Once all your dough has been used up, cover all of the doughnuts with a clean tea towel or oiled cling film and leave to double in size once more in a warm environment. 

About 15 minutes before your doughnuts are fully proved you will want to begin prepping your oil for frying and a wire cooling rack lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil from your doughnuts once they have been fried. You will want to heat the oil in your pan or deep fat fryer to appoximately 190°C/375­°F

Once your doughnuts have fully proved you will want to carefully add each doughnut to the hot oil by lowering the parchment paper into the oil and the doughnut should release itself. We would recommend frying the doughnuts 3 at a time otherwise your pan/fryer will become crowded and this will affect the outcome of your fry. 

Fry your doughnuts for 45 seconds on each side, using a spatula or tongs to carefully turn the doughnuts in the oil. The doughnuts should be a nice golden colour both side when removed from the oil and placed on the prepared paper toweling. If you are frying the spare doughnut holes, be aware that these will fry quicker than the doughnuts so will not require as long in the oil.

Leave the doughnuts to cool and the excess oil to be absorbed by the paper towelling whilst you prep the glaze. In a bowl mix together the icing sugar, vanilla extract and milk until you reach a smooth consistency, to make a thinner glaze add a few extra spoonfuls of milk or alternatively if you prefer a thicker glaze you can increase the quantity of icing sugar by a few spoons. 

To give the doughnuts full glaze coverage, dip one side into the glaze and then using a fork flip the other side of the doughnut. Leave the doughnuts to set on a wire cooling rack then enjoy!