Recipe Detail Page

1 For the glaze, whisk all ingredients together until smooth and a pourable consistency. If the glaze seems too thick, add more Scotch or water a drop at a time. One at a time, submerge the doughnuts about halfway into the glaze. Allow any excess to drip off back into the bowl. The doughnut holes can also be dipped.

2 Melt the 3 oz (85 g) bittersweet chocolate and set aside to cool to room temperature. (If the chocolate is at all warm, it will melt the chocolate shavings.) Top each doughnut with chocolate shavings and drizzle melted chocolate overtop.

1 In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and yeast and set aside to dissolve the yeast.

2 In a larger bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

3 Add the eggs, melted butter and vanilla to the sour cream and whisk until smooth.

4 Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together with no visible pockets of flour. The dough will be quite soft and sticky. Cover the surface of the dough with plastic wrap and set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes while you prepare the oil for frying.

5 Fit a large heavy-bottom pot with a deep-fry thermometer and pour in oil to a depth of 2 inches (5 cm). Begin heating the oil over medium heat until the thermometer registers 350°F (180°C).

6 While the oil is heating up, sift flour generously over the work surface and turn the dough out overtop. Sift more flour onto the dough and, using your hands, gently pat the dough out to about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thickness. Using a floured 3-inch (8-cm) cookie cutter, punch out circles of dough. Brush off any excess flour, then cut out the centres with a floured 1-inch (2.5-cm) cutter. Carefully brush off any excess flour from the underside of each doughnut and set aside. Re-roll the scraps and repeat, using the last bit of dough to cut more of the smaller “doughnut holes” with the 1-inch (2.5-cm) cutter. You should have about 10 doughnuts and 16 holes.

7 Once the oil reaches 350°F (180°C) and using a slotted spoon or flat wire skimmer, gently lower 2 to 3 doughnuts at a time into the oil. When they float to the top, allow them to cook for about 1 minute or until they are a light golden brown on the underside. Flip them over and continue cooking for about a minute more or until uniformly light golden brown. Using the slotted spoon, wire skimmer or tongs, transfer the doughnuts to paper towels to drain. Continue cooking the remaining doughnuts and holes, while maintaining the oil temperature at 350°F (180°C). Dip the doughnuts in glaze (glazes included in the following recipes), decorate and serve the day they are prepared.