Iced Donuts

Iced Donuts

These homemade ring donuts are soft, fluffy, and lightly golden on the outside. Each one is dipped in smooth pink icing and finished with a cheerful sprinkle of hundreds and thousands. They are perfect for birthdays, afternoon tea, or simply when you fancy a proper homemade treat.

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 15

Rising Time 2 15

Total Time 2 55

Servings Donuts

Instructions

Make the Dough:

Place the flour, yeast, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Keep the salt and yeast on opposite sides at first. Mix gently.
500 g strong white bread flour, 7 g fast-action dried yeast, 50 g caster sugar, ½ tsp salt
Add the lukewarm milk, eggs and softened butter. Stir with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms.
250 ml whole milk, 60 g unsalted butter, 2 medium eggs
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If you use a stand mixer, knead for about 5 minutes on medium speed.
Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel. Leave it in a warm place for 1–1½ hours until doubled in size.

Shape the Doughnuts:

Tip the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press it down gently to remove excess air.
Roll the dough to about 1.5cm thick. Cut out rings using the larger cutter. Then cut out the centres with the smaller cutter.
Place the shaped doughnuts onto lightly floured baking trays. Cover loosely with a tea towel. Leave them to rise again for 30–45 minutes. They should look puffy and airy.

Fry the Doughnuts:

Pour the oil into a deep, heavy-based saucepan. Heat it to 170–180°C. If you do not have a thermometer, test with a small piece of dough. It should sizzle and rise to the surface quickly without burning.
1.5 litres vegetable oil
Lower two or three doughnuts into the oil at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry for about 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown.
Lift them out with a slotted spoon. Place them on a wire rack with a tray underneath to catch excess oil. Allow them to cool slightly before icing.

Prepare the Icing:

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time (may need up to 4). Stir until smooth and thick but pourable.
250 g icing sugar, 3 tbsp warm water
Add a few drops of pink food colouring. Mix until you reach your desired shade.
3 drops pink food colouring

Ice and Decorate:

Dip the top of each slightly warm doughnut into the icing. Twist gently as you lift it out to prevent drips.
Place back onto the wire rack. Immediately scatter over the hundreds and thousands while the icing is still wet.
3 tbsp hundreds and thousands
Leave for 15–20 minutes so the icing can set.

Notes

Storage:

These doughnuts taste best on the day they are made. However, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Warm them gently for a few seconds if you prefer them slightly soft.

Other Colours:

Of course, pink icing is always a favourite in my kitchen, but other colours can make these doughnuts just as delightful.

A soft pastel blue looks lovely for baby showers, while a gentle lemon yellow feels bright and cheerful in spring.

For Halloween, I often use orange icing, and at Christmas a rich green or deep red adds a festive touch. You can even swirl two colours together for a marbled effect, which always impresses the children.

Simply adjust the food colouring a drop at a time, and stir well until you reach the shade you like.

It is such an easy way to match the doughnuts to a theme, a season, or simply your mood that day.

Nutrition

Ingredients

For the Dough:

For Frying:

For the Pink Icing: