Doughnuts

           Doughnuts

 Although this rfirst ecipe calls for the traditional method of dissolving yeast, rapid rising yeast and the Instant Method work just as well and save time.

                                    1 tsp. sugar

                             1/2 cup warm water

                             2 tsp. (1 envelope) granular yeast

                             1/2 cup milk

                             1/4 cup shortening

                             1 Tbsp. salt

                             1/2 cup sugar

                              2 eggs

                             1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

                             1 tsp. grated lemon rind

                   3-4 cups  flour

                         Fat for frying

1. Combine the ingredients as for basic rolls using enough flour to form soft dough.

            2. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

            3. Roll dough to a thickness of a little less than 1/3 in.

            4. Cut with a doughnut cutter with a diameter of 3 inches.

5. Place on a floured cookie sheet and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30-45 minutes

            6. Heat fat to 365 F.

7.  Drop the dough raised side down into hot fat; fry until brown; turn and brown on other side.

8. Drain; shake in bag with sugar, icing sugar or use one of the other popular variations.

             Yield 24 doughnuts. See quick breads for doughnuts prepared with baking powder.

**Variation

          Filled Doughnuts--Cut dough into circles using a cookie cutter. Divide into 2 groups. Using egg white, brush surface near edge of one group of circles; in the center of each, place jam, jelly, whipped topping or pudding.

            Top with remaining circles, pinching edges together firmly to seal. Arrange on a floured cookie sheet; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk Fry.

Yeast Raised, Bread Doughnuts # 2

Ingredients:

1-1/8 cups whole milk (warm)

1/4 cup sugar

2-1/4 tsps. active dry yeast (instant)

2 whole large eggs (beaten)

1-1/4 sticks unsalted butter (melted)

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Any quality shortening, for frying. Shortening gives a better texture and may be a healthier choice than granola oil (which because if it is left to evaporate in say a sauce will turn to a varnish like substance, I never use). Actually for both flavour AND health, olive oil or beef tallow are probably the  best choices; but because people now worry  so much about cholesterol  nowadays, beef  tallow is now hard to get.

Glaze

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup cold water (milk)

Yeast Raised Bread Doughnuts Recipe # 3

Serves:  2 dozen doughnuts

Prep Time:  2 Hrs. 45 mins.

Cook Time: 30 mins.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm (not hot) water

2 pkgs. active dry yeast (if cake yeast (2) are used, water should be lukewarm)

3/4 cup lukewarm milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

4 to 4-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/3 cup shortening

2 eggs

GLAZE

1-2 Tbsps. warm water (I fund, thicker is better)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions, Both Recipes

1 If using CAKE YEAST, SOAK yeast in 1/2 cup warm (not hot) water- 5 minutes.

TIP: Throw about 1 tsp. sugar in with this to kick it in the butt to get it going. This is called proofing the yeast.

2 SCALD the milk.

3 POUR milk over sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir until dissolved. Make sure this mixture is only warm - not too hot t(which will either kill the yeast or scramble the eggs, or both, before you proceed.

4 ADD 1 cup of flour to eggs and yeast mixture. Beat until smooth.

5 Then ADD remaining flour to make a soft dough. When dough leaves sides of bowl, turn out onto lightly floured board.

Recipe calls for 4-4 1/2 cups flour approximately. However, every time I make it, it only takes me about 4 cups to achieve the right consistency.

6 KNEAD until dough becomes smooth and elastic. Place in lightly greased bowl. Grease top of dough and cover with waxed paper. Allow to rise in warm place (80-85°) until doubled (11/2 hours).

7 ROLL OUT dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut-with a #2 can that has bee opened on both ends, and a doughnut cutter. If using the can, use a pill bottle to make the centre hole. Remove centres. 

8 LET RISE on the board until very light (40-60 minutes).

9 DROP, the rounds into deep hot fat, (325° - 350°) and turn when doughnuts are just barely brown. Turn once again, when browned sufficiently. Do not over brown. You will kill the rise of the yeast and the doughnuts will absorb more oil and not have as good a flavour. This is very important.

10 DRAIN on paper towel. While still warm, glaze with glaze above or dust each doughnut with granulated or confectioners' sugar.

 NOTE: None of my recipes are recommended for use with self-rising flour.

 Sweet Milk--        

3 eggs                              

1 cup sugar                                                          

2 Tbsp. shortening                   

3 tsp. baking powder                      

1 tsp. salt                               

1/2 tsp nutmeg                                  

3 1/2 cups  flour                             

1 cup milk                              

1/2 tsp. lemon extract                        

 1. Beat eggs until very light, beat in sugar, then melted shortening

2. Sift baking powder, salt and nutmeg with 1 cup flour and stir into first mixture alternately with milk.

  3. Add lemon extract and just enough flour to make a very soft dough. A soft dough makes light tender doughnuts when cooked.

 4. Chill. Roll out 3/4 inch thick. Cut with doughnut cutter.

5. Fry in deep fat (360-370 F.) and drain on unglazed paper. Makes 2 dozen.

         

Testing Fat for Frying

 Unless you wish to make a real mess of your kitchen, fats should never be brought to the smoking point as a test of heat. Use a thermometer; or use the "Camp Method"--drop into the fat a one-inch cube of bread from the soft part of the loaf. Judge the heat of the fat by the length of time it takes the bread to brown.

1. If the fat is the right temperature for smaller pieces of uncooked food-breaded chops etc. - 380-390 F. it will take 20 seconds for the bread to brown.

2. If the fat is the right temperature for larger pieces of uncooked food, or uncooked food in batter, or doughs-350-365F. The bread will brown in 40 seconds.

3. If the fat is the right temperature for most cooked foods-croquettes, fish balls etc., 365-380 F. the bread will brown in 40 seconds.

Have the Right Temperature in Frying

If fat is too hot, it scorches the food, does not cook it thoroughly, spoils the fat, or worse, smokes up and possibly sets fire to the kitchen. If it is too cool, the food becomes soggy and soaked with fat. Fats of low smoking temperature will naturally soak into food a little more than fats of high smoking temperature, because the food remains longer in the fat.

         

         

 Buttermilk--   

                   1 cup  sugar                                      

                   2 Tbsp.sour cream         

                   3  eggs                              

                   1/2 tsp.lemon extract                        

                   1 cup buttermilk                    

                   1/2 tsp.baking soda                          

                   1 tsp.baking powder                      

                   1/2 tsp.salt                               

                   1/2 tsp .nutmeg                                  

                   4 1/2 cups flour (more or less)               

          1. Mix sugar with cream and add beaten eggs, lemon extract and buttermilk.

2. Sift remaining dry ingredients with 1 cup of flour and add to first mixture,

            3. Add additional to make a dough just stiff enough to handle.

            4. Roll out and cut. Fry