Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

This is a work in progress recipe to copycat the original consistency of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, UK version. The glaze will be added later. This recipe uses the "Bulletproof fluffy yeasted doughnuts" recipe by ChefSteps as base for the dough and will be supplemented by the additives found on the official Krispy Kreme website/pdf: https://www.krispykreme.co.uk/media/wysiwyg/Mothers_Day_23/2023_Allergen_nutrition_book_md_spd.pdf

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Step 1

Combine and warm to 110 °F / 43 °C Melt the palm oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the milk, followed by the eggs. Bring the mixture up to between 100 °F / 38 °C and 110 °F / 43 °C and transfer it to a stand mixer bowl. TIP: Temperature control is crucial here. Too much heat too fast can scald the milk, cook the egg, and/or kill the yeast that is added in the next step. What you want is a nice, bath-like temperature for the yeast to work its magic—cooking on medium-low helps keep things under control.

Step 2

Add the yeast Make sure that the wet ingredients in the stand mixer bowl are at or below 110 °F / 43 °C, then whisk in the yeast. Let rest for about 10 minutes while you work on the next step.

Step 3

Sift and combine

Step 4

Combine wet and dry ingredients; mix with a dough hook Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer. Set the mixer to medium-low and add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture, one large spoonful at a time, until it’s completely incorporated.

Step 5

Mix. A lot. Set the mixer to medium-high and mix until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl, 10–20 minutes. PSST: Keep an eye on the mixer to make sure it doesn’t wobble its way off the side of the countertop over the course of the long mix!

Step 6

Form into a ball, cover, and refrigerate one hour Spray your work surface and the inside of a large mixing bowl with nonstick spray. Form the dough into a ball, place it in the mixing bowl, cover it, and set it in the fridge for an hour. (This cooling slows down the yeast action, a process known as retarding.)

Step 7

Punch down, roll, and cut Dust a work surface and the top of the dough in the bowl with flour. Punch down the dough, then transfer it directly onto the floured surface. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. (You can always add more later.) Roll it out to about a half-inch thick.

Step 8

Punch out doughnuts Use a 3 in (75 mm) and a 1¼ in (30 mm) ring mold to cut out your doughnuts, dipping the bottoms of the molds in flour before every cut. You can make doughnut holes with the balls from the middles.

Step 9

Transfer and proof Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper, spray the paper with nonstick spray, and transfer the doughnuts to it, leaving 2–3 inches (5-7 cm) between them. Spray the doughnut tops with the nonstick spray, then cover them with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap doesn’t touch the doughnuts. Allow them to proof on the countertop until they double in size, about 30–60 minutes depending on the temperature in your kitchen.

Step 10

Heat fry oil In a large pot over medium heat, bring at least two inches of fry oil to 350 °F / 177 °C. Clip a thermometer to the edge of the pot (you can use a binder clip for this) and monitor the temperature regularly. Stir the oil occasionally to even out the heat.

Step 11

Fry Set a timer to the stopwatch function. Working one at a time until you get the hang of it, place a doughnut in the fryer and fry it for 15 seconds, then flip with a spider strainer and cook until the bottom has a dark, amber color, about 80 seconds. Flip it and cook for another 80 seconds. Transfer to a rack over a half-sheet pan or to a paper towel–lined plate. TIP: If the dough warms and becomes sticky and difficult to transfer, slide the parchment sheet off the sheet pan and onto a cutting board and cut the parchment into squares around each doughnut, then just slide your hand under the squares and use them to transfer the doughnuts to the fryer.