Life has been extraordinarily busy recently, so please forgive me for a short post. I’ve been running the design department at work for the last few weeks, which is kind of cool, but pretty full on. And there’s nothing that helps me chill out and relax more than getting into the kitchen and cooking something delicious. I’d been eyeing off this recipe from Gourmet Traveller since the issue came out in June from their awesome feature all about donuts.

I’ve made a few kinds of doughnuts lately, with lots more that I want to try over the next few months as well. There’s just something about them that is the right blend of delicious and fun. A throwback to a childhood favourite, now with grown up flavours. I used cocoa nibs to sprinkle on top rather than making a hazelnut praline. Use a chocolate that you like for the glaze, because it really makes all the difference. The dough is wonderfully easy to work with, although next time I would halve the recipe, since they are best eaten on the day they are made, and there were just too many for the four of us!

I found the glaze coated the doughnuts much more easily when it was almost completely cool. I took these photos after dipping the first few into a warm glaze. By the time the glaze cooled down, it was too dark to take any more photos, but they were much prettier, with a thick, rich glaze. I would recommend making it in advance so it’s ready to go when you start to fry the doughnuts. They are seriously all kinds of good. There’s no elegant way to eat these, so licking the rich and sticky chocolate glaze off your fingers is absolutely mandatory.

Sticky Chocolate Doughnuts
Makes 12 doughnuts + holes
Recipe adapted from Gourmet Traveller

Doughnuts
• 390ml lukewarm milk
• 125g caster sugar
• 75g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
• 14g dried yeast
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 700g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying
• Cocoa nibs, for garnish

Glaze
• 220g caster sugar
• 200g dark chocolate, finely chopped

Combine milk, sugar, butter, yeast, eggs, half the flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a dough hook. Beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes until smooth and combined. Add remaining flour, a little at a time, beating for an additional 4-5 minutes, until dough no longer sticks to the bowl and is smooth and elastic. Transfer to a lightly buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (1-1 ½ hours)

Knock back dough, then roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1cm thick. Cut out 9cm diameter rounds with a floured cutter, then cut a hole in the center of each with a 3cm cutter. Transfer doughnuts and holes to a tray covered with baking paper, allowing space in between each to rise, cover with a tea towel and stand until doubled in size (45 minutes – 1 hour)

Meanwhile, combine sugar and 60ml water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium high-heat until sugar dissolves, then cook until light caramel (8-10 minutes). Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir to combine. Add 50ml water and stir to combine (be careful, mixture may sieze), return to heat and stir until smooth. Add another 50ml water, stir to combine and strain through a metal sieve into a heatproof bowl. Allow to cool.

Preheat oil in a deep fryer or deep sided saucepan to 180°C (350°F). Deep fry doughnuts and holes, in batches, turning occasionally until golden and cooked through (5-6 minutes for doughnuts, 3-4 minutes for holes, be careful as hot oil may spit), drain on a wire rack placed over a tray. When cool enough to handle, carefully half dip doughnuts and holes in chocolate glaze. Shake off excess and place on a rack. Scatter with cocoa nibs and stand for 20-30 minutes until set. Serve warm or at room temperature.