Doughnut Holes

Step 1: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) and make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour this wet mixture into the well and mix just until a soft dough forms. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.

Step 2: Remove the dough from the fridge and heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat until a thermometer registers at 350F. On a generously floured work surface, roll out your chilled dough to a 1/2-inch thickness and, using a 1-inch round cutter, cut out your doughnut holes.

Step 3: Feel free to bring the remaining dough together to reroll and cut out more doughnut holes but only do this once as rerolling the dough a third time might make them a bit tough.

Step 4: Before frying, prepare a draining station for your doughnut holes by lining a cookie sheet with paper towel and a cooling rack.

Step 5: Now, it’s time to fry! Gently lower seven or eight doughnut holes into the hot oil and cook for around 3-4 minutes, flipping occasionally. Remove the cooked doughnut holes to the rack-lined cookie sheet and continue to fry until all of your doughnut holes are done.

Step 6: When cooled, dunk each doughnut and doughnut hole in vanilla glaze and serve.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE

Step 7: In a small bowl, mix the icing sugar with the vanilla and warm water until smooth. If the glaze looks too thin, add a bit more icing sugar. If it looks too thick, add a touch more water.