AZTEC CHOCOLATE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In medium bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, buttermilk, 3 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla with whisk until blended. Stir in cocoa. Stir in all remaining doughnut ingredients except oil just until moistened. Grease another medium bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.
• Place dough on generously floured surface. Roll dough in flour to coat. With floured rolling pin, roll dough to 3/8-inch thickness. Cut dough with floured 3-inch cookie cutter.
• Line 2 cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Place dough rounds on cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Cut out centers using floured 1-inch cookie cutter. Reroll scraps to cut additional doughnuts. Cover cookie sheets loosely with towels; let stand at room temperature while heating oil.
• In 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy 3-quart saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 375°F. Place cooling rack on cookie sheet. Fry doughnuts in oil, 3 to 4 at a time, about 2 minutes, turning over every 30 seconds, until deep brown and puffed (do not undercook or centers will be raw). Remove from oil with slotted spoon to cooling rack. Cool doughnuts completely, about 20 minutes.
• In 1 1/2-quart microwavable bowl, microwave 1/4 cup butter, the milk, corn syrup and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon on High 45 seconds or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Microwave an additional 30 seconds; carefully stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth (stirring too quickly can cause air bubbles in glaze). Stir in 1 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla until smooth. Stir in additional powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until consistency of thick syrup. Dip top of each doughnut into glaze; let excess drip off. Place doughnuts on cooling rack, allowing excess glaze to drip onto cookie sheet. Let stand until glaze is set, about 30 minutes.