Chocolate Glazed Donuts

Donuts

1. Grease a large bowl with cooking spray and set aside. In a small, microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, add milk. Microwave until lukewarm, 40 seconds. Add a teaspoon of sugar and stir to dissolve, then sprinkle over yeast and let sit until frothy, about 8 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla with a wooden spoon.
3. Pour in yeast mixture, mix to combine, then add in dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until elastic and only slightly tacky, adding more flour a teaspoon at a time if needed, about 5 minutes.
5. Form into a tight ball then place dough in oiled bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Let dough rise in a warm spot in your kitchen until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
6. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Punch down dough, then turn onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out into a ½” thick rectangle. Using a doughnut cutter or 3” and 1” biscuit cutters, punch out your doughnuts. Re-knead scraps together and punch out as well. Place doughnuts and holes onto baking sheets, cover with dish towel, and let rise again, about 40 minutes more.
7. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat 2'' oil to 350°. Cook doughnuts, in batches, until deeply golden on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Holes will cook even faster!
8. Transfer doughnuts to paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain and cool slightly.

Chocolate Caramel Glaze

1. Add sugar, salt and water to a medium pan over medium-high heat. Stir until it all dissolves together, and continue stirring as it cooks. Continue cooking until the combination turns clear and is bubbling (about 5 minutes).
2. Turn the heat to high and continue to cook and stir the caramel mixture. After about 5 minutes, the combination will turn an amber color.
3. Remove the caramel from the burner and add the butter and cream. Stir in until combined. CAUTION: The caramel will bubble and steam dramatically when you do this…. Be careful!
4. Once the mixture is combined, add the chocolate chips to the caramel mixture and stir until the chocolate chips melt.
5. Take the donuts and dip them into the chocolate, making sure to cover the donut in chocolate caramel from all angles. Leave to cool on a cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath to allow for extra chocolate that drips off.