Yeast-Raised Doughnuts

donuts
Yield
15
item(s)
Ingredients

Dough

  • 270g (1 1/8 c) whole milk, warmed to 90°F
  • 100 g (1/2 c) sugar
  • 2 1/4 tsp (one package) active dry yeast
  • 2 whole eggs, beaten, at room temperature
  • 170 g (3/4 c) butter, melted and cooled
  • 520 g (4 c) bread flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 quarts frying fat (lard, crisco, or neutral oil)

Glaze

  • 60 g (1/4 c) whole milk
  • 280 g (2 1/2 c) confectioner's sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 pinch salt

Cinnamon-Sugar

  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon (do less if you want these less spicy)
  • Pinch of salt

Halved

Dough

  • 135 g (9/16 c) whole milk, warmed to 90°F
  • 50 g (1/4 c) sugar
  • 1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 whole eggs, beaten, at room temperature
  • 85 g (3/8 c) butter, melted and cooled
  • 260 g (2 c) bread flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 quarts frying fat (lard, crisco, or neutral oil)

Glaze

  • 30 g (1/8 c) whole milk
  • 140 g (1 1/4 c) confectioner's sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 small pinch salt

Cinnamon-Sugar

  • 50g granulated sugar
  • ½ tbsp cinnamon (do less if you want these less spicy)
  • Pinch of salt

 

Directions
  1. In a small bowl, combine milk and sugar and bloom yeast for five minutes. 
    1. Make sure sugar is dissolved. If sugar is added dry, it can clump.
  2. In a separate bowl, stir together the egg and melted butter and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl), combine flour and salt.
  4. Add the milk mixture very slowly to the mixer while mixing on low speed with paddle until the flour is hydrated, then switch to dough hook to form a dry-looking dough.
  5. Lower the speed, add the egg mixture and mix with paddle until integrated. Then mix the dough on medium-high speed for approximately 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and very stretchy.
  6. Oil a large bowl with oil, place the dough inside, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge overnight.

    ***overnight rest***
     
  7. Flour a work surface and turn the cold dough out onto it. Flour the top of the dough and press it flat, then use a rolling pin to flatten the dough to a uniform 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out the donuts and place on a floured sheet. Proof for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are very puffy and fragile to touch.
  8. Prepare your frying oil and glaze setup. Place a large, heavy pot on the stove and rest the thermometer inside. Pour in the oil and heat on medium until oil reaches around 350°F (actual temp may very according to oil type and dough). On another burner, warm the milk in a small saucepan set over low heat until the milk begins to steam. Remove it from heat and add the confectioner's sugar, pinch of salt, and vanilla, and whisk until they are smooth. Pour the glaze into a bowl and set the bowl over a small saucepan of water and set aside.
  9. Once the oil has reached 350°F, begin to add the doughnuts, one at a time, until there are three in the pot. Fry the doughnuts for approximately 2 minutes before turning them, and fry for an additional 2 minutes on the other side (if you feel like they are getting too dark, it's okay to turn them earlier). Place the doughnuts on the prepared cooling rack. Break one open to ensure that it is cooked, and if additional time is needed, add the doughnuts back to the oil to finish and add a bit more cooking time for the rest. Fry the rest in similar fashion, and allow all of the doughnuts to cool.
  10. Glazing: Place the pot of water with the bowl of glaze set over it over low heat and stir to bring it back to a gooey liquid. Remove from heat and use your fingers to carefully submerge each of the doughnuts in the glaze. Place the glazed doughnuts on a clean cooling rack to dry. The glaze will become more translucent as it dries. For best flavor, serve immediately.
Attribution
Adapted from https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/yeast-raised-doughnuts-make-at-home-glazed-recipe.html