DIRECTIONS

To Make the Dough

• Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot.
• Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve.
• Add yeast into a small bowl.
• Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes. (Pic of this step in the next collage)
• Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won’t be overly hot.
• Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter is not too hot for the eggs.
• Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. ( If you do not have an electric mixer/dough hook attachment, just pour this into a regular large mixing bowl.)
• With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture. If you aren’t using a mixer, just stir the wet ingredients gently with a whisk for about a minute.
• Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it’s thoroughly combined.
• Add salt to flour and whisk well.
• With the mixer still going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone.( If you’re not using a mixer, just add flour to the wet ingredients in increments, stirring and/or kneading after each addition.)
• Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for five whole minutes.
• After five minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl.
• Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds. (If you’re not using a mixer, just knead the dough gently for about 5 to 8 minutes, then let it sit and rest.)
• Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place straight in the fridge.
• Refrigerate dough for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

To Make the Doughnuts

• Remove bowl from fridge and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.
• Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness.
• Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, etc.
• Cut holes out of each round using a 1 1/2-inch cutter.
• Place both doughnuts and holes on a floured baking sheet.
• Cover with large tea towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm place in your kitchen.
• Allow doughnuts to rise undisturbed for at least 1 hour; 1 hour 15 minutes if necessary. Doughuts should be visibly puffier and appear to be airy.

To Fry the Doughnuts

• Heat plenty of vegetable oil in a large pot until the temperature reaches 375 to 380 degrees—do not let it get hotter than 380 degrees! 375 is ideal; keep the thermometer in the pan to continually monitor.
• One to two at a time, gently grab doughnuts and ease them into the hot oil. Allow them to cook 1 minute on each side; they will brown very quickly.
• Remove doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon, allowing all oil to drip off.
• Place doughnut immediately on several layers of paper towels.
• Repeat with remaining doughnuts and holes. The holes will cook more quickly than the doughnuts; about 30 seconds per side.
• Allow doughnuts to slightly cool.

To make peanut butter fudge sauce

• In a microwave safe bowl add the butter, sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter and chocolate chips.
• Microwave for 30 seconds, stir and microwave another 30 seconds, stir and if needed microwave another 30 seconds.
• Once everything is melted and combined together stir in the vanilla. Set aside.

To assemble the sandwich

• Cut the doughnut in half.
• Cut the icecream in pack into discs.
• Remove the cover after cutting and place the icecream on the doughnut half.
• Pour fudge sauce over it.
• Place some nuts and pretzels.
• Close with other half of doughnut.
• Drizzle melted chocolate on top if you like.
• Serve while the doughnut is warm.