Pretzel-Topped Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts

For the doughnuts, whisk the eggs, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and then stir this into the wet mixture until evenly blended. Stir in the melted butter. Wrap and chill the dough for about 2 hours, to make it firm enough to roll.

To cut the doughnuts, turn the chilled dough out onto a floured surface and roll to ¾ -inch thickness. Cut doughnuts using a 3-inch cutter and cut a hole out of the centre of each. Re-roll any scraps (the holes can be re-worked into the dough, or fried as doughnut holes). Cover the doughnuts with a tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes (to warm up).

Preheat vegetable oil to 375ºF in a tabletop fryer, or in a deep pot over medium high heat (fill the pot with 2 inches of oil). Carefully drop in a few doughnuts, leaving enough space so that they do not touch, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Lift the doughnuts onto a cooling rack with a paper-towel lined tray underneath to drain and cool and continue to cook the remaining doughnuts in batches. Allow the doughnuts to cool before glazing.

1.

For the glaze, heat the cream until it just begins to simmer and then pour it over the chopped chocolate, letting it sit for a minute. Gently stir the glaze until it is smooth and then stir in the oil and corn syrup. Let the glaze cool long enough that it will not run, but is still fluid. Dip the top of each doughnut into the glaze and set onto a rack or tray. While still soft, arrange pretzel twists on top of each doughnut and let set for an hour.