During this past week, my cousin Lauren and I decided to make homemade doughnuts! We knew that some of these fluffy, yet chewy pastries had to include Nutella in some way. As an early chef, I remember creating a special dessert for Lauren's younger brother, Johnny. So, I made cousin Johnny a warm and toasty eggo waffle slathered in Nutella and dusted with powdered sugar. Now, this is why we had to include Nutella with the doughnuts. Did we mention we're also Italian? The Italian pastry called "Bombolone" can closely relate to the American doughnut that has a creamy filling inside. "Bomba" means bomb in Italian, referring to the load of Nutella that is ready to explode within the fluffy, chewy dessert. I have many memories in Italy indulging in these loaded morsels either morning or night. However, this night was a special one, teaching through experience to my younger cousin, Lauren.

Slap-and-Fold Method

After mixing the ingredients, we used the slap-and-fold method to knead the dough. This kneading method can be used with stickier doughs to create a strong network of gluten strands. For an even chewier texture, leave your dough in the fridge overnight.

There are lots of cookie cutter shapes that you can use to make more interesting-looking doughnuts. Not to mention, these different shapes can create better flavors and textures after frying.

After frying, coating or glazing doughnuts should be done when they're slightly warm. This will ensure that the coating will stick properly.