Homemade Yeast-Raised Glazed Doughnuts(King Arthur Flour)

Yeast-Raised Glazed Doughnuts...Making your own doughnuts at home....hmmm....I usually try not to make doughnuts at home too often. They are just too good and maybe not so healthy but, every so often...hmmm. The good news is that I probably make them maybe once a year!

But, I recently came across this recipe from King Arthur Flour and wanted to try their version. Oh, my weakness with cookbooks!When I find new recipes, I tend to want to try them! So, I think we will be done with doughnuts for this year...:)!

I found out these doughnuts were extremely soft and pillowy! There are a few tips that are worth noting when making this recipe(see italics). I varied them by making crullers (twisting strips of dough and doubling it) and chocolate glazed. I even ventured out to make a bear claw(with bits of apple/cinnamon)...but, it was quickly eaten before I could take a picture of it! But here is the recipe as I made it. Hope you enjoy...

Doughnut Ingredients: (adapted from: The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook ) ... Makes about 16 round doughnuts plus doughnut holes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

3 cups (12 3/4 oz) unbleached all purpose flour

1 large egg

1 cup (8 oz) milk

2 tablespoons (1 oz) butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 cups (2 lbs) vegetable oil or shortening (2 1/2 lbs), for frying (I used a smaller pot and used less oil)

Glaze:(I made my own glaze using less amounts since I also made a chocolate glaze as well...but you can just do plain)

1/4 cup (2 oz) milk

2 cups (8 oz) confectioner's sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir the milk into the confectioners' sugar until it is smooth, then add the vanilla.

Chocolate Glaze:

3-4 TBS whipping cream(heated to almost boiling)

chocolate bar (or use chocolate chips ~about 1/2 cup)

* add more chocolate if the glaze is too thin

Add hot whipping cream over chopped chocolate ...let sit until chocolate is melted and then stir.

Toppings:

Coconut, chopped nuts, powder sugar, sprinkles if you like, etc.

Directions For Dough:

1.Whisk together the dry ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, butter and vanilla and stir into the flour mixture, mixing until well combined.

3. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead for 6 to 8 minutes by hand or mixer until you have a smooth, soft dough.
4. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, turn it over to grease the top, and let it rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in bulk.

5. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
6. Gently roll the dough out to 1/4 inch (I would do them quite a bit thicker next time) thickness and cut with a round cutter.

7. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap(I didn't bother) and let rise again for about 1 hour(Side note: I thought 1 hour was a bit too much...if you let the dough rise too much it will become too soft and in turn absorb too much oil...I would let it rise till almost doubled 20-30 minutes. This of course means that it is rising in a warm environment!), until doubled again.

8. Place oil or shortening in a heavy pan or deep skillet and heat to 350°F.(This is were you need to get the temp. just right or it will burn the doughnuts if the oil is too hot.)
9. Place the doughnuts in the oil, two or three at a time, and fry until golden brown.

10. Turn over and cook the second side. This should be no more than a minute(or less...they brown very quickly) on each side. Overcooking will make the doughnuts tough.
11. Drain on paper towels.

Glaze Doughnuts:
When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle (but still warm), dip the tops of the doughnuts into the milk/chocolate glaze, then place on a rack so the glaze will drip down.