Recipe: Krispy Kreme Kopykat Doughnuts and Buttercream (copycat recipe)

KRISPY KREME KOPYKAT DOUGHNUTS

"This very famous doughnut company is known for its glazed, raised doughnut, which is light, spongy, sweet, and fabulous."



1⁄4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
2 packages (0.25 ounces each) active dry yeast
6 tablespoons vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
1 1⁄2 cups whole milk
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 to 5 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
Flavorless vegetable oil for deep-frying, such as canola
Buttercream (optional, recipe follows)

Place the warm water in a large bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Stir to combine and let sit for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the shortening with the milk in a microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop, then cool to lukewarm (110 to 115 degrees F). Add the milk mixture, sugar, eggs, salt, nutmeg, vanilla, and 2 1⁄2 cups of the flour to the yeast and stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until combined and smooth. The mixture will have some body but will still be very wet and loose.

Stir in another 2 1⁄2 cups of the flour until the mixture becomes a very slightly sticky, elastic dough, adding more of the remaining 1⁄2 cup flour only if necessary.

Knead well by beating vigorously with the spoon or spatula, or use the flat paddle or dough hook of a stand mixer.

Scrape the dough into a buttered bowl, making sure there is plenty of headroom. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Generously flour two rimmed baking sheet pans. Gently punch down the dough and divide it in half. Roll out one piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface to 1⁄2-inch thickness. Cut out doughnuts with a lightly floured cutter. Use a (2 1⁄2-inch) round cutter for filled doughnuts or a (3-inch) ring-shaped doughnut cutter for a classic doughnut shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. Gently gather the scraps, press them together, roll out the dough, and cut out as many additional doughnuts as possible. Place the doughnuts, well spaced, on the prepared pans. Let rise in a warm, draft-free location until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

While the doughnuts are rising, prepare the buttercream (if using).

Line two rimmed baking sheet pans with a triple layer of paper towels. Heat 3-inches of oil in a deep pot or deep-fat fryer to 350 to 355 degrees F.

When the oil is hot enough, fry a few doughnuts at a time; do not crowd. Fry until light golden brown, about 1 1⁄2 minutes, flip them over, and fry for about 1 1⁄2 minutes more, until light golden brown on the other side as well. Using a slotted spoon, remove each doughnut from the oil and drain thoroughly on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts.

Fill with cooled doughnuts with Buttercream, if desired, using a pastry bag and coupler fitted with a Bismarck #230 tip). Dust tops with confectioner's sugar or apply toppings as desired.

These are best eaten as soon as possible.

BUTTERCREAM

3⁄4 cup (1 1⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
6 2⁄3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, divided use
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 plump, moist vanilla bean
1/4 to 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.

Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise and use a butter knife or teaspoon to scrape all of the tiny seeds into the frosting. Beat again to begin incorporating the seeds. Add the remaining 5 2⁄3 cups confectioners' sugar and 1⁄4 cup of the milk, beating on high speed until the buttercream is silky smooth. Keep thinning out with additional milk, one teaspoon at a time, if needed, in order to achieve a softer texture.

Makes about 26 (2 1/2-inch) round doughnuts or about 22 ring-shaped doughnuts
Recipe copyright 2013, Used by permission from Harvard Commons Press
Source: A Baker's Field Guide to Doughnuts by Dede Wilson