Doughnuts with Chocolate Ganache

Prep time: 2 hours (plus overnight proofing) Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 2 1/2 hours & overnight

Ingredients

Doughnuts

1/3 cup warm milk

1½ teaspoons instant yeast

5 eggs

31/2 cups flour

1teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Oil for frying

Chocolate Ganache

100grams chocolate, chopped

150 ml  heavy cream

1tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature 

Equipment

Measuring cups and spoons

Standing Mixer

Large bowl, oiled

2 small bowls

Rolling pin

Doughnut cutter or round cookie cutters (about 3 inches diameter)

Plastic wrap

Baking sheet, floured

Kitchen towel

Large heat proof sauce pan

Large plate lined with kitchen towels

How To

Doughnuts

In a small bowl, add the milk and yeast. Whisk by hand to mix them, and let the mixture for about 15 minutes.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the dry ingredients and mix them on slow speed.

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and start adding them gradually to the dry ingredients alternating with the milk mixture.

Slowly start adding in the butter cube by cube. You want to add the butter slowly whilst beating on medium-high speed. This part will take you about 25-30 minutes.

Transfer the dough to an oiled large bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate it overnight.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Using a rolling pin shape it into a rectangle keeping it about ¾ inch thick.  Cut the dough using the doughnut or cookie cutter. Transfer the doughnuts to the floured backing dish and cover them with a kitchen towel. Let them rise for about an hour.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Drop a dollop of dough into the oil, if bubbles form, then the oil is ready for frying. Drop the doughnuts into the oil and fry them (about 1 minute per side). Watch them carefully and turn them over continuously so they don’t burn. Transfer them to a large plate lined with paper towels. 

Let them cool.

While the doughnuts are cooling, make the chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

Place the chopped chocolate in a heat-proof medium bowl.

Heat the heavy cream on a stove top until almost boiling. Alternatively, heat it in the microwave in 30 seconds intervals (so you don’t overheat it). Remove the cream from the stove top and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for about a minute, and then stir gently (staring from the middle) until the chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is smooth.  Stir in the butter. Let the ganache cool slightly.

While the ganache is warm, pour it over the doughnuts.