Donuts: Make Your Own at Home, written by Sandra Mahut, features a fun collection of 22 donut flavors ranging from a basic glaze to more intricate fillings and toppings. A few highlights include Maple Syrup, Pistachio, Galaxy, Apple Crumble, Red Velvet, and Triple Chocolate. I will also be sharing her recipe for Milk Chocolate Donuts following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Smith Street Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Sandra Mahut
Sandra Mahut is a food writer, photographer, recipe developer, and food stylist. She is the author of several cooking and lifestyle books and currently lives in Paris with her family.
This book was first published in French by Hachette Livre (Marabout) in 2023. It is similar in style to the book, Mochi: Make Your Own at Home, and Sandra’s Bubble Tea: Make Your Own at Home.
Donuts: Make Your Own at Home
Sandra begins Donuts: Make Your Own at Home with a note on ingredients, helpful tools, and an illustrated donut tutorial before jumping into the recipes.
The contents page has a visual list of the included donut styles with page number for easy reference. If you need a break from all the donuts or are looking for a refreshing pairing, Sandra has shared a drink recipe for Iced Green Tea with Lemon on the last page.
The food styling and photography are also provided by Sandra with illustrations by Valentine Ferrandi. Every single recipe is paired with a vibrant, full-page photo of the finished donut.
Measurements are listed in milliliters/grams and ounces. Titles are written in English. Each recipe has a note on yield and prep time.
Milk Chocolate Donuts
The Milk Chocolate Donuts were my son’s favorite (with the classic glazed a close second).
As with all the recipes in the book, these doughnuts are formed with a yeast dough base. After rising, cutting into individual doughnuts (save the leftover pieces of dough to make donut holes!), then rising a final time, the rings are fried in oil until puffed and golden.
To finish, each doughnut is covered with a sweet milk chocolate glaze and a drizzle of melted white chocolate.
If you prefer white chocolate to milk chocolate, Sandra has included a recipe for the doughnuts with the icings reversed- a white chocolate base with a milk chocolate drizzle.
These Milk Chocolate Donuts are best the day they are fried and coated, especially within a couple of hours.
A Few Milk Chocolate Donut Tips
Sandra has used weight-based measurements in the book. This is highly recommended for accuracy.
When adding the yeast to the milk, make sure the milk isn’t too hot or it will damage the yeast. The temperature should be about 105˚F (40˚C)- just warm enough to activate. Allow to rest at room temperature until frothy, about 10 minutes.
If the dough is too crumbly and just won’t come together after mixing everything together thoroughly, add some more milk a splash at a time. Give it some time to blend fully with the flour before adding more. The exact amount required may vary based on the brand of flour and the moisture content of the egg.
In a warm kitchen, the first rise should take about 1 1/2 hours to double in size. During the winter with cooler temperatures, it may take closer to 2 hours.
More Donuts
We also made Classic Glaze, Cinnamon Sugar, Lemon Curd and Poppy Seeds, and Cappuccino Donuts.
The Classic Glaze Donut is the very first option in the book. A great spot for getting started, these doughnuts are covered simply with a thin, sweet glaze made of powdered sugar, milk, and a small pinch of salt. They were a hit with both kids.
My daughter made the Cinnamon Sugar Donuts. In addition to the simple glaze, these doughnuts are coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture to add an extra burst of flavor.
I made the Lemon Curd & Poppy Seeds Donuts to use up some extra lemons I had on hand. The flavors were so light and refreshing! These doughnuts are filled with a homemade lemon curd, then coated in a bright lemon icing before sprinkling poppy seeds over the top.
The Cappuccino flavor was my personal favorite. The yeast-based dough is fried until golden, then filled with a vanilla coffee custard and topped with a swirl (so pretty!) of coffee and plain glaze. Edible gold glitter is optionally sprinkled across the glaze as a final decadent touch.
Donuts: Make Your Own at Home is a fun pick for those interested in making homemade donuts at home with a variety of flavors. Recipes range from classic doughnuts to those with more intricate glazes and homemade fillings.
Most of the ingredients are readily available in larger American grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include vanilla/strawberry marshmallow cream, rose petals, pistachio paste, gelatin leaves, dulce de leche, specialty sprinkles/edible glitter, and coffee extract.
Milk Chocolate Donuts Recipe
Excerpt from Donuts
Milk Chocolate Donuts
Ingredients
Donut Dough:
- 9 grams (1/4 ounce) instant yeast
- 165 milliliters (5 1/2 fluid ounces) warm milk 105-115˚F, 40-46˚C
- 50 grams (1 3/4 ounces) white sugar
- 1 egg
- 35 grams (1 1/4 ounces) softened butter diced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 370 grams (2 1/2 cups) strong bread flour
- 1 liter (4 cups) frying oil
Icing:
- 250 grams (9 ounces) milk chocolate
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces) white chocolate
Instructions
Prepare the Dough and Fry the Donuts:
- In a small bowl, combine the yeast with the warm milk. Whisk, then let rest for 10 minutes, or until foamy on top.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeasty milk mixture, sugar, egg, softened butter, vanilla, salt and lastly, flour.
- Using the dough hook, mix on medium speed for about 7 minutes. The dough should be soft and homogeneous.
- Remove the dough from the stand mixer and work it by hand on a lightly floured work surface for 1 minute.
- Form the dough into a neat ball and place in a large, clean bowl. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air, then use a rolling pin to roll it out on a lightly floured work surface.
- Cut out circles using a 10 centimeter (4 inch) diameter cookie cutter, then use a 1.5 centimeter (1/2 inch) cookie cutter to cut out a second circle in the centre of each.
- Place each donut on a small square of baking paper and lay them on a tray. Cover and leave to rise for 1 1/2 hours.
- Heat the frying oil in a deep-fryer, large frying pan or wok until it reaches 190˚C (375˚F).
- With the square of baking paper still attached, place each donut, paper side down, into the oil. Lifting the donuts by holding the square of baking paper will help them keep their shape.
- Let them cook for 1 minute then remove the paper and turn them over gradually with tongs, until they are golden brown. Remove and place on paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Make sure to keep the oil at 190˚C (375˚F) throughout the frying process.
Prepare the Icing:
- Gently melt the milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring with a whisk until smooth. (Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water.)
- Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, mixing well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, melt the white chocolate in the same way. Add the remaining vegetable oil and mix well.
Ice the Donuts:
- Dip each donut into the bowl of melted milk chocolate, gently rotating the donut to glaze it evenly.
- Place on a wire rack, icing side up, so the chocolate flows down over the sides.
Decorate the Donuts:
- Pour the white chocolate mixture into a small piping bag fitted with a narrow nozzle.
- Pipe pretty drizzles of white chocolate over the chocolate icing.
- Enjoy the donuts once the icing has set.
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