An absolute favourite is the classic ring doughnut! Naturally, the MK team gives it a slight revamp. We not only show you how to make them step-by-step and give technique tips, but also plenty of variations to fill, top and glaze them. Plus ideas on what to do with those leftover doughnut holes! 

Fried Ring Doughnuts 

Makes 12-15 • Total Time 1 Hr 45 Min 

Ingredients

100ml lukewarm milk  
1 sachet yeast 
¼ cup castor sugar 
2 cups cake flour 
½ tsp salt 
1 egg, whisked 
½ tsp vanilla essence  
¼ cup butter, softened 
vegetable oil, for frying  

Method

1. Mix milk, yeast and 2 Tbsp sugar and set aside for 15 minutes. 
2. Add flour, salt and remaining sugar to bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix to combine. Add yeast mixture, egg and vanilla, and knead on a low speed for about 8-10 minutes. Alternatively, knead by hand for 12-15 minutes. 
3. Place dough into a greased bowl, cover and set aside for 30 minutes. 
4. Add dough to clean bowl of stand mixer and knead on a low speed for another 8-10 minutes, or knead by hand for 12-15 minutes, while adding butter, 1 tsp at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and leave to prove for 30-45 minutes. 
5. Roll dough out onto a floured surface and using a round cutter, cut out as many doughnut rings as possible. Repeat with any remaining dough. Use a bottlecap to cut out the centre of each ring. Set aside to prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size. 
6. Fry doughnuts in hot oil for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden and puffed. Set aside to cool before adding toppings of your choice. 

Chef’s Tip
Don’t chuck away all those doughnut holes! Deep-fry them until golden and toss them on a topping for a quick, tasty treat. 

For The Doughnut Dress Up  

MAPLE GLAZE WITH CRISPY BACON

1 cup icing sugar   
2 Tbsp maple-flavoured syrup 
2 Tbsp milk
Pinch salt  
Crispy bacon  

Method

Mix icing sugar, syrup, milk and salt until smooth. Dip doughnuts into icing and top with crispy bacon bits.  

LEMON GLAZE 

1 cup icing sugar   
1 lemon, zested  
3 Tbsp lemon juice  

Method

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Dip doughnuts into icing and top with extra lemon zest. 

CLASSIC CINNAMON AND SUGAR

2 tsp ground cinnamon   
¼ cup white sugar  

Method

Stir sugar and cinnamon to combine. Roll warm doughnuts in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, making sure each one is coated evenly.  

JAM-FILLED DOUGHNUT

½ cup strawberry jam   
icing sugar, to dust  

Method

Spoon strawberry jam into a syringe or piping bag. Cut a hole into each doughnut and fill with jam before dusting with icing sugar.  

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND STRAWBERRIES

2 slabs white chocolate, melted  
Handful freeze-dried strawberries, crushed   

Method

Drizzle each doughnut with melted white chocolate and top with crushed berries.  

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

2 slabs milk chocolate, chopped 
½ cup cream 
Sprinkles or pistachios, chopped  

Method

Heat chocolate and cream in a double boiler and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir until combined. Drizzle ganache over doughnuts and top with sprinkles or nuts.  

Words by Chad January 
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

The post Making Ring Doughnuts From Scratch appeared first on MyKitchen.

You don’t have to reserve your fresh fruit solely for desserts and snacks. See how perfectly our balsamic and nectarine glaze compliments these juicy pork chops.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp chilli flakes
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp dried origanum
2 tbsp thyme
4 pork chops
3 nectarines, sliced
⅓  cup chopped feta
⅓  cup basil

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 250°C.
2. Whisk together the chilli flakes, vinegar, sugar, origanum and thyme.
3. Season the chops well. Heat some oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Brown the pork chops for 5 minutes on each side.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 8–10 minutes, until cooked through.
5. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, pour the balsamic mixture into the pan.
6. Remove from the heat and add the nectarines.
7. Transfer to the oven for 8 minutes, until the peaches are charred.
8. Top with feta and basil, and serve with the nectarines and the balsamic glaze from the pan drizzled on top.

Recipe & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: K-Leigh Siebritz // HMimages.co.za

If you loved the way fruit complimented this recipe, wait till you try our naartjie and ginger glazed ribs!

The post Juicy pork chops with balsamic and nectarine glaze appeared first on MyKitchen.

A simple foundation plus a simple dish = a meal unlike anything you’ve ever tried! Become a pro with this Marmite-glazed T-bone steaks.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the Marmite glaze
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp Marmite
6 tbsp honey
¼ cup whisky
¼ cup beef stock
3 tbsp muscovado sugar
1 tsp smoked paprika
For the T-bone steaks
4 × 125 g T-bone steak
½ cup olive oil

METHOD
For the Marmite glaze
1. Fry the butter until melted and nutty brown.
2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the glaze is reduced and very sticky.
For the T-bone steaks
1. Toss the steaks in the oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a pan until it is smoking hot.
3. Fry the steaks for 5 minutes on one side.
4. Flip the steaks over, add half the glaze and toss to coat. Fry for a further 4 minutes.
5. Allow the steaks to rest for 10 minutes, then slice and spoon over the remaining glaze.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Test out your skills with this lemon-and-rosemary-infused honey glaze on salmon!

The post Learn the art of glazing with these Marmite-glazed T-bone steaks appeared first on MyKitchen.

With the all the frenzy around sea greens, we thought this seaweed baked Brie with phyllo crackers and balsamic glaze is the perfect way to try it out!

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the baked Brie
2 seaweed sheets
¼ cup oil
1 wheel Brie
For the crackers
4 phyllo sheets
¼ cup butter, melted
For the balsamic glaze
2 cups balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey

METHOD
For the baked Brie
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Lay the seaweed sheets in oil for 1 hour until they are more pliable. Fold them into a triangle by bringing two corners together and pressing down.
3. In an ovenproof ramekin the size of the cheese, press one triangle of seaweed into the ramekin and the other in the opposite direction. Place the Brie inside. Bake for 20–30 minutes.
For the crackers
1. Grease a baking tray.
2. Brush each sheet of phyllo with butter, then place on top of each other. Cut into 15 × 4 cm rectangles.
3. Bake for 10–15 minutes until crispy.
For the balsamic glaze
1. Bring the vinegar and honey to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer.
2. Cook until thickened and syrupy, about 15 minutes. The glaze will thicken as it cools.
3. Serve with baked Brie and crackers.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

The post Seaweed baked Brie with phyllo crackers and balsamic glaze appeared first on MyKitchen.

Packing all the flavour without the meat, these blue cheese braaibroodjies with roasted peaches and balsamic glaze are braai-time musts!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp butter
2 peaches, thickly sliced
8 slices white bread
80 g blue cheese
Balsamic glaze

METHOD
1. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a pan. Add the peaches and cook until soft and golden.
2. Butter bread on 1 side. Keeping the buttered sides facing out, cover 4 slices with peaches.
3. Crumble the blue cheese over the peaches and drizzle with a little balsamic glaze. Sandwich with the remaining bread.
4. Toast on a grid over the coals until the cheese has melted.

Recipe & styling: Caro Alberts
Photography: Andreas Eiselen/HMimages.co.za

The post Blue cheese braaibroodjies with roast peaches and balsamic appeared first on MyKitchen.

Looking for a low-kilojoule chicken dinner without a salad in sight? Look no further than this soy-glazed chicken with exotic mushrooms and Asian flavours.

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp sesame oil
4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
600 g exotic mushrooms
300 g bok choy, halved
½ cup soy sauce
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp peeled and grated ginger
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Drizzle the oil into a roasting tin. Heat it in the oven for 5 minutes.
3. Place the chicken, cut-side down in the hot tin. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl to make the sauce.
5. Remove the tin from the oven, add the mushrooms and bok choy, and pour the sauce over.
6. Turn down the heat to 180°C and bake for a further 15 minutes.
7. Serve hot, garnished with fresh coriander and toasted sesame seeds.

The post Soy-glazed chicken and mushrooms appeared first on MyKitchen.