Rum-Glazed Doughnuts with Toffee Crunch

Directions

1. For the doughnuts
2. Place the milk and butter in a medium saucepan and heat over low-medium heat just until the butter has melted. Stir to combine and set aside for later use.
3. Place warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Allow yeast to dissolve for about 5 minutes.
4. Make sure that the milk and melted butter have cooled to lukewarm temperature and pour mixture into the bowl of a KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer. Pour water and yeast mixture in along with the milk and melted butter. Add eggs, egg yolk, sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and half of the flour. Using the paddle attachment, combine all ingredients on low speed until the flour incorporates with the wet ingredients. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix until all ingredients are well combined.
5. Change to the hook attachment and mix on low speed. Add flour gradually while mixing and increase speed to medium once all the flour has been added. Continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth and it pulls away from the sides of the bowl, approximately 4-5 minutes. Transfer dough to a well-greased bowl and cover it with plastic cling wrap.
6. Allow dough to rise until it doubles in size, approximately 1 hour.
7. On a well-floured surface, roll dough to a 3/8” thickness. Dip the base part of a 2 1/2 ” round cutter or pastry ring into flour. Cut out circles from the dough. Dip the base of a 7/8” round cutter or pastry ring into flour and cut out the center holes from each donut. Set donuts on a floured baking sheet and cover them lightly with a kitchen towel.
8. Allow donuts to rise for 30 minutes.
9. Preheat about 2 inches of oil in a heavy, high-sided pot over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 365 degrees F. Gently place 3-4 doughnuts into the oil. Cook for about 1 minute per side, until each side is light golden brown and most of the frying bubbles disappear. Transfer doughnuts to a cooling rack placed in baking pan and allow them to cool for about 15 minutes prior to glazing.
10. For the toffee
11. Cover a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.
12. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and mix gently with fingers to combine well. Cook sugar and water over medium heat and add honey once sugar and water mixture looses its murky appearance and it becomes clear, after about a minute or so.
13. Add butter and continue cooking until it reaches a temperature of 300 F–305 F on a candied thermometer (hard crack stage).
14. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Stir and pour mixture over prepared baking sheet quickly before toffee begins to set. Allow toffee to completely cool.
15. Cut toffee into small pieces. Place small toffee pieces in a small bowl and set aside for later use.