I've been looking for a doughnut recipe forever. A tried and tested one, one that would taste authentic and wouldn't use tons of equipment.
This is a recipe I would make again, but I would change a few things:
- Make the dough the night before - as I did it in the AM and had to wait all day to finish them, bit annoying!
- It makes A LOT of doughnuts. Perfect for a birthday party or pink ribbon gathering, but if it's for your family, cut the recipe in half, or freeze half the doughnuts (the cinnamon ones anyways)
Dough Ingredients
280ml Whole Milk, Warm
¼ cups Caster Sugar
2-¼ teaspoons Dry Yeast
2 whole Large Eggs, Beaten
150gr Unsalted Butter, melted
4 cups plain flour
¼ teaspoons Salt
Canola or vegetable Oil
Method:
Heat milk until warm but not hot. Add caster sugar and stir until dissolved. Add yeast and stir until wet, set aside for 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
Heat butter until almost melted, set aside
Beat eggs in another container set aside.
In your mixer bowl, pour eggs and butter in, whisk until well combined, add the milk/yeast.
then cup by cup and with the dough-hook running at a low to medium speed, add the flour until all combined, knead for 5 minutes, then scrape down sides and bottom to ensure all flour/ingredients get mixed. Continue mixing for another 5 minutes, remove from stand and leave to sit for 10 minutes.
Transfer to a greased bowl and cover with clingfilm and sit in fridge for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight.
Take dough out of the fridge (yes it rises in the fridge, weird!) and roll out onto a floured surface to about 2cm thickness
Depending how big you want your doughnuts, cut out your circles, and then your holes. I cut mine out with an ikea tumbler and a champagne keeper! I really should invest in some ring cutters!
Mine had big holes, but I like 'em like that - you might like smaller holes. Keep the holes too - they are lovely on their own. I used some leftovers to make little plaits too.
Place the cutouts on floured baking trays and leave to prove for about an hour - they should puff up by about 25-40%.
If you like cinnamon doughnuts, prepare your sugar now. 3/4 cup of white sugar and 2 tb of cinnamon powder, spread out on baking tray. Also prepare by layering 3 sheets of paper towel on a plate ready for frying your doughnuts.
When proved, heat your oil. I used canola but you could use vegetable also. Ensure it heats to a boil and then turn down to medium heat. With a slotted spoon, ease the donuts in, you should only need to fry for about 30 seconds on each side, until medium brown. I did my doughnuts one at a time, but do what you're comfortable with - with the doughnut holes, I did these five at time.
Ensure you drain each doughnut throughly before transferring to paper towel. If you are doing cinnamon donuts, transfer to the cinnamon sugar and coat, sit aside to cool.
If you do doughnut holes, I recommend this method - they are delicious and my hubby loved them.
To glaze - this is JUST like Krispy Kremes. Serious.
Mix 2 tb milk with 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 cup of icing sugar, over low heat, dissolve sugar and bring to a low boil. Remove from heat, brush on doughnuts on wire rack with baking paper underneath to catch the drips, turn over and repeat when done all tops - covers about 15 doughnuts.
To ice (strawberry doughnuts)- now my frills love strawberry dougnuts so these were not an option to miss. Mix into 1 cup of sifted icing mixture 2 drops strawberry essence, 2 drops pink/rose food colouring and 1 tb water. Mix through with fork until a constant consistency. Spread onto doughnut and add sprinkles if you wish!
This recipe was sourced from
Pioneer Woman, I love her!
