Recipe courtesy of Jean Anderson
Old-Fashioned Yeast-Raised Doughnuts
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 3 dozen doughnuts
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 36 servings
- Calories
- 109
- Total Fat
- 2
- Saturated Fat
- 1
- Carbohydrates
- 21
- Dietary Fiber
- 1
- Sugar
- 7
- Protein
- 2
- Cholesterol
- 13
- Sodium
- 71
- Total: 1 hr 31 min
- Prep: 45 min
- Inactive: 1 min
- Cook: 45 min
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup scalded milk
2/3 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
2 packets active dry yeast
3/4 cup sugar
5 cups sifted flour (approximately)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mace
Vegetable shortening or cooking oil, for deep fat frying
Topping:
1/2 cup superfine sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
- Melt butter in milk and cool to lukewarm. Place water in a warm large mixing bowl, sprinkle in yeast, and stir until dissolved; add milk mixture and sugar. By hand, beat 2 1/2 cups flour in until smooth; mix in eggs, salt, and spices. Mix in remaining flour, adding a little extra, if needed, to form a soft but manageable dough. Knead lightly 1 minute on a floured pastry cloth; shape into a ball, place in a greased large bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- Punch dough down, roll 1/2-inch thick on pastry cloth, using a floured, stockinette-covered rolling pin. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter and place 1 1/2-inches apart on un-greased baking sheets. Reroll and cut scraps. Cover with cloth and let double in bulk.
- Meanwhile, begin heating fat in a deep fat fryer. When doughnuts have risen and fat has reached 375 degrees F, ease 4 doughnuts into fat, 1 at a time. Fry about 2 minutes until golden brown all over, using tongs to turn. Drain on paper toweling.
- While doughnuts are warm, roll in topping.
- Jelly Doughnuts: Prepare as directed, but roll dough 1/4-inch thick instead of 1/2-inch. Cut in 2 1/2-inch rounds and put 1 teaspoonful tart jelly in the center of 1/2 the rounds. Top with remaining rounds, moisten touching edges slightly, and pinch to seal. Let rise, then fry as directed. Roll in confectioners' sugar while still warm.
- Crullers: Prepare as directed, but instead of cutting into doughnuts, cut in strips 8-inches long and 1/2 to 3/4-inch wide; let rise, then twist strips several times and pinch ends. Fry at once and roll in topping while still warm.
Cook’s Note
Never fry more than 4 doughnuts at a time and keep fat as near to 375 degrees F as possible; if too hot, doughnuts will brown before they cook inside.