Ingredients Needed
Water. Butter. I used salted butter but unsalted butter can be substituted. Milk. Egg. Flour. Caster sugar. Instant yeast. Salt. Oil, for frying. Any neutral oil will work. I like canola oil or vegetable oil for frying. Cinnamon and caster sugar for the coating. The doughnuts can also be tossed in powdered sugar/confectioners sugar. For the ganache: Dark chocolate, espresso, heavy cream.
How to make doughnut holes
The great thing about doughnut holes (or donut holes) is that they are an inevitable by-product when making doughnuts. However, if you are so inclined, you could totally use an entire batch of dough for doughnut holes. You will just get a very large amount of doughnut holes if you choose to do that. Make a simple dough recipe by dissolving instant yeast in warm milk and melted butter. Stir together flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl then pour in the wet ingredients. Start bringing the dough together then knead until a soft, smooth dough forms. This can all be done in the bowl of a stand mixer as well. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Allow to rise for 1 hour. Cut out doughnuts (or holes) then allow to rise again while you heat the oil. Fry the doughnuts holes in hot oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot until golden brown and cooked through – approximately 3-5 minutes. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl. Remove the doughnuts from the hot oil with a slotted spoon then drain on paper towel and immediately toss in the cinnamon sugar. Allow to cool slightly on a wire cooling rack before serving. To make the ganache, melt the chocolate, espresso and cream together until smooth. Serve the doughnuts with the ganache for dipping.
Can I make doughnut holes ahead?
Yes, the doughnut holes can be made a few hours in advance – any longer than that and they stand a chance of drying out. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days but I would suggest eating them the day of cooking. The chocolate ganache can be made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge, simply allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Doughnut recipes
