Homemade Doughnuts

To be honest, I’m not the biggest doughnut fan. I regularly pass when offered one. It’s just not my thing, not even those straight off the conveyer belt at Krispy Kreme, whose hot light seems to make people lose all the sense the good lord gave them. I have a friend who will actually swerve off the road at the sight of that neon sign. People seem to be in love with the things, but I’ve just never cared for them.



So, when I saw this recipe on The Pioneer Woman, I was intrigued. Maybe I would like them more if I made them at home? And you know what? I do. But I have to say you need to go into it without your preconceptions, because these don’t taste much like Krispy Kremes at all. They are just a bit more dense (but not much), and definitely not as sweet.



This was...an experience. I’m not going to tell you it was easy, because it’s not, it's messy and labor intensive, but it's also a lot of fun and a great way to spend a Saturday when you’re completely snowed in! I spiced mine up with a chocolate glaze and some sprinkles, I think a maple glaze would be good too. I love that about these, you can customize them any way you want. I’d love to try jelly filled next.



Homemade Glazed Donuts
From The Pioneer Woman, check out her site for very helpful step by step photos.

Ingredients
Doughnuts
1-⅛ cup Whole Milk, Warm
¼ cups Sugar
2-¼ teaspoons (one Package) Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
2 whole Large Eggs, Beaten
1-¼ stick Unsalted Butter, melted
4 cups All-purpose Flour
¼ teaspoons Salt
Canola Oil

GLAZE
3 cups Powdered Sugar
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Vanilla
½ cups Cold Water Or Milk

Preparation Instructions

To Make the Dough:
1. Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot.

2. Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve.

3. Add yeast into a small bowl.

4. Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes.

5. Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won’t be overly hot.

6. Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter’s not too hot for the eggs.

7. Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.

8. With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture.

9. Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it’s thoroughly combined.

10. With the mixer still going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone.

11. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for five whole minutes.

12. After five minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl.

13. Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds.

14. Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for 10 minutes.

15. After 10 minutes, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place straight in the fridge.

16. Refrigerate dough for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

To Make the Doughnuts:
1. Remove bowl from fridge and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.

2. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness.

3. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, etc.

4. Cut holes out of each round using a 1 1/2-inch cutter.

5. Place both doughnuts and holes on a floured baking sheet.
6. Cover with large tea towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen; my kitchen is very drafty, so I have to briefly warm the griddle, then turn it off and set the sheets on top to keep warm.

7. Allow doughnuts to rise undisturbed for at least 1 hour; 1 hour 15 minutes if necessary. Doughuts should be visibly puffier and appear to be airy.

To Fry the Dougnuts
1. Heat plenty of canola oil in a large pot until the temperature reaches 375 to 380 degrees—do not let it get hotter than 380 degrees! 375 is ideal; keep the thermometer in the pan to continually monitor.

2. One to two at a time, gently grab doughnuts and ease them into the hot oil. Allow them to cook 1 minute on each side; they will brown very quickly.

3. Remove doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon, allowing all oil to drip off.

4. Place doughnut immediately on several layers of paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over onto a clean part of the paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over again; the purpose, obviously, is to drain as much grease as possible before it soaks into the doughnut.

5. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and holes. The holes will cook more quickly than the doughnuts; about 30 seconds per side.

6. Allow doughnuts to slightly cool.

To Glaze
1. Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl until completely smooth.

2. One by one, dip doughnuts into the glaze until halfway submerged. (Note: completely submerge doughnut holes, then remove with slotted spoon.)

3. Remove from glaze, then turn right side up on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet (to catch dripping glaze.)

4. Serve warm if possible, or room temperature.

Chocolate Glaze
From Alton Brown

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions
Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Place the mixture over a bowl of warm water and dip the doughnuts immediately. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving.