Matt. Loves. Doughnuts. I don't think I have ever met someone who likes them as much as he does, except maybe my Uncle Jack. At some point last week Matt decided that his next yeast recipe adventure was going to be doughnuts. Well, who doesn't like fresh, warm doughnuts? I gladly agreed to help him make these. In fact, I think they came out pretty darn good!
Doughnuts (makes 18ish)
1 1/8 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 large eggs
1 1/4 stick butter
4 cups AP flour
Shortening/Oil to fry the donuts in
Warm the milk in the microwave or in a small saucepan. Heat the milk until it is JUST BARELY WARM, if it is too warm it will kill the yeast. Stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Now add the yeast and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Melt butter in another bowl, again just barely so it isn't too hot. Crack the eggs and beat until a uniform color in another small bowl. Now, slowly whisk the butter into the egg mixture. Add the egg/butter mixture to a electric mixing bowl, attach the bread hook. Add the yeast mixture and turn the mixer on to speed level 3. Once the mixture is fully combined start adding the flour in 1/2 cup increments until it has all been added. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides if needed, now let the mixer run on level 3 for 5 more minutes. After 5 minutes let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes then transfer it to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.
Once the dough has been allowed to rise roll it out on a floured surface, you want it to be about a third of an inch thick. Now cut out the doughnut shapes. You could probably make them any shape but we made them the normal doughnut shape. To do this we used a larger glass to cut the outside shape and then something with a much smaller diameter (we used the top of an old prescription bottle, but a shot glass would work too). Once you have cut all of the doughnuts out you can re-roll the excess dough if you want. Place the shapes on parchment lined cookie sheets and let rise until they are almost double in size (about an hour in a warm place).
Now it's time to heat your oil, if you have a counter top fryer use that, I just used a pot that had about 3 inches of oil in it. Be careful if you are using an oil filled pot, you will need to check the temp to make sure it isn't too hot. Heat the oil until it is 375˚F, once it is hot you can start frying the doughnuts. Place 2-3 in the oil and flip after 1 minute. Cook 1 more minute on the other side and remove and let cool on a cookie sheet lined with a paper towel. Repeat until all of the doughnuts have been cooked. To cook doughnut holes follow the same procedure but cook each side for 30 seconds instead of a minute.
Glaze
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup water
1 tbs. milk
Combine all of the ingredients and whisk until the mixture is lump-free and smooth.
To glaze doughnuts: dip the top of the doughnuts into the glaze, wait two seconds, and transfer to a wire rack to allow excess glaze to drip off. Glaze will harden in 2-3 minutes.
For the doughnut holes we tossed them in a cinnamon-sugar mixture while they were still hot, they were delicious!
Enjoy (just don't eat to many!)
xxC
*this recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman
