Doughnuts

Today I will share this delicious recipe for doughnuts! I’ve only made doughnuts once before, years ago, so it was fun to make them again! These doughnuts were fluffy and not too sweet. I put three of my doughnuts (not cooked) on a baking sheet and baked them for about 15 minutes, because I wanted to see how they would turn out baked instead of fried. The baked ones were good! They had the same texture and taste. The baked doughnuts were kind of like soft bagels.

Credit to Allrecipes for the recipe. Here is the link to the doughnuts: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/45921/crispy-and-creamy-doughnuts/#nutrition

Ingredients:

• 2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
• ¼ cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
• 1 ½ cups lukewarm milk 
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup butter
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• vegetable oil for frying or 1 tbsp for baking

• Step 1
  Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
• Step 2
  In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, butter, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix for a few minutes at low speed, or stirring with a wooden spoon. Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a greased bowl, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise until double. Dough is ready if you touch it, and the indention remains.
• Step 3
  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and gently roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Let doughnuts sit out to rise again until double. Cover loosely with a cloth.
• Step 5 (fried doughnuts)
  Heat oil in a large heavy skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slide doughnuts into the hot oil using a wide spatula. Turn doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Fry doughnuts on each side until golden brown. Remove from hot oil, to drain on a wire rack.
• Step 5 (baked doughnuts)
• Preheat oven to 350℉. Place doughnuts about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick come out clean.
• Step 6 (see glaze ideas below)
• Dip doughnuts into the glaze once cool, or cinnamon sugar while still hot, and set onto wire racks to drain off excess. Keep a cookie sheet or tray under racks for easier clean up.

Glaze Ideas

chocolate glaze-

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tsp light corn syrup

2 tsp water

place all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and melt in 20 second increments until smooth.

cinnamon sugar-

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

mix together.

classic vanilla glaze–

⅓ cup butter

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

4 tablespoons hot water or as needed

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time until the icing is somewhat thin, but not watery.

I also decided to assign one day to post. From now on I’ll try my best to post weekly on Monday.