Vanilla Glazed Doughnuts

Doughnuts are usually that messy sugar coated, jam-filled, bun that is enjoyed with a sense of guilt. Sometimes, however, they just need a thin glaze of icing to give a boost of sweetness to the already delicious bun.

Recipe - Makes 8

For the dough:

• 250g strong white bread flour
• 7g fast action dried yeast
• 5g salt
• 25g caster sugar
• 25g butter, diced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 140ml milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• 100g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cold water

Put the flour in a large bowl and tip the yeast to one side and salt and sugar to the other. Add the butter to the centre, followed by the eggs and vanilla, then pour in enough milk to bring the mix to a soft and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes to smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with clingfilm, then leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly to knock the air out. Divide into 8 even sized pieces and roll each to a ball. Arrange spaced apart on a lined baking tray and place into a large plastic bag. Leave to rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until the dough springs back gently when pressed.

When the dough has nearly proved, heat a deep fat fryer or a large pan of oil to 170C. Place one or two buns into the fryer at a time, depending on its size and bearing in mind they will puff slightly. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a piece of kitchen roll before placing on a wire rack to cool. Repeat to fry all the balls of dough. Leave to cool completely. 

Once cold, make the icing by mixing the vanilla and icing sugar together with enough water to make a fairly thin icing. Brush over the buns to glaze and leave to set.