Chocolate Doughnuts

By Chef Shipra Khanna

From Pure Sin

Prep: 35 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Method: Moderate

Course: Snack

Type: French

Key Ingredients:

These doughnuts are children’s delight which even adults enjoy

Short History: Even as records of various fried dough preparations can be found in ancient civilisations including Egyptian, Greek and Roman, Doughnuts as we know them today (minus the inner ring) are of Dutch origin. The Dutch made ‘olykoeks/olie koeken’ meaning ‘oily cakes’ that were had on special occasions. Around the 17th and 18th centuries, they brought this preparation to New York which was called ‘New Netherland’ back then. Doughnuts began to gain popularity in the United States post World War I after they were served to homesick American troops in France as comfort food..

What is Chocolate Doughnuts: Doughnuts are round, deep-fried leavened dough pastries with a hollow in the middle, a characteristic feature of this fried dessert..

Top ways to prepare: When making a Chocolate Doughnut recipe, baking or frying are generally the best ways in which they are made. You can shallow fry Doughnuts too. Yeast doughnuts, also known as ‘raised doughnuts’ are risen with yeast and are much lighter. While, cake doughnuts are leavened using baking powder and are dense like cakes..

Cooking Tips: When making a Chocolate Doughnut recipe, use fresh leavening agents. Avoid over-mixing the dough. Allow ‘yeast’ Doughnuts to proof as per the stated time. For better results when proofing, cling wrap the bowl in which the dough is left to rise. Cake Doughnuts should have a resting time of 10-15 minutes between shaping and frying them. However, do not proof for over 30 minutes as this would make the leavening agents less effective. Cut the Chocolate Doughnuts with a sharp cutter as this will cause doughnuts to rise well when frying. Always fry Chocolate Doughnuts in a large pan as they will rise in height and size. Use fresh oil to fry. Canola, vegetable or any neutral-tasting oil is good to use. Keep a tab on the temperature of the oil when making a Chocolate Doughnut recipe. Drain the Chocolate Doughnuts on a paper towel or tissues. Do not put them directly on the rack as it causes oil to collect at the bottom..

Serving Suggestion : Doughnuts are considered a dessert. They are generally had as it is or with coffee or a chilled beverage. In some cultures where they are had as breakfast, they are had with milk..

Ingredients

Cooking chocolate, chopped 200 gms
Milk ½ cup
Sugar 1 tsp
Fresh cream 100 gms
Yeast 1½ tsps
Refined flour 1 cup
Baking powder ½ tsp
Baking soda ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Orange rind, grated 1 tsp
Sweet condensed milk 200 gms
Oil to deep fry
Chocolate sauce as required

Methods

Heat milk in a non-stick pan, add sugar and mix till it dissolves.
For chocolate ganache, boil cream in another non-stick pan and pour it into a bowl of cooking chocolate and mix till the mixture is well blended.
To prepare the dough, take yeast in another bowl, add the milk and sugar mixture and let the yeast activate.
Sieve refined flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the yeast to the flour mixture. Add orange rind and condensed milk and knead into a dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside to prove.
Heat sufficient oil in a deep pan.
Dust the worktop with some dry flour, keep the dough on it and roll it out into rectangular sheet.
Keep a doughnut shaped cookie cutter over the sheet and cut out doughnuts. Slide them gently into the hot oil and deep fry on medium heat till golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
Fill a piping bag with the chocolate ganache and pipe it into the doughnuts.
Dip the doughnuts in chocolate sauce and keep them on a serving platter. Serve immediately.