Glazed Donuts Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the yeast with 3/4 cup of the warm milk and stir to dissolve the yeast. Add 3/4 cup of the flour and stir to create a smooth paste. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the flour mixture rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• Once 30 minutes have passed, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining 1 teaspoon yeast with the remaining 1/4 cup milk (the milk will be room temperature at this point). Add the rested flour mixture along with the vanilla and egg yolks and mix on low until the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is smooth, about 30 seconds. Turn off the mixer and add 1 cup of flour, along with the sugar and salt. Mix on medium until the dough starts to come together, about 30 seconds. Add the butter and mix on medium until it's incorporated, about 30 seconds.
• Remove the paddle attachment from the mixer, and switch to the dough hook. Start adding the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time (turning the mixer off for each addition) and knead the dough on medium until it completely pulls away from the side of the bowl and is smooth and not too sticky, about 1 minute. The dough will be very soft and moist but not so sticky that you can't roll it out. (For this step, you may only need to use as little as 1/4 cup flour, so there may be flour leftover.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• Once 30 minutes have passed, gently press down on the dough to remove any gas bubbles then chill, covered, for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
• When ready to roll out the dough, line a baking sheet with a lightly floured non-terry towel. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Using doughnut or cookie cutters, cut out 3-inch-diameter rounds with 1-inch-diameter holes. (For filled doughnuts, don't cut out the holes.) Arrange the doughnuts on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between doughnuts. Cover the doughnuts loosely with plastic wrap and let them proof in a warm place until almost doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes. Check to see if the doughnuts are ready every 5 to 10 minutes. To test, use a fingertip to lightly touch one of the doughnuts. If the dough springs back immediately, it needs more time; if it springs back slowly, it's ready; and if the dough doesn't spring back at all, it's over-proofed. You can punch down and reroll over-proofed dough once.
• While the doughnuts are proofing, line a baking sheet with 2 layers of paper towels and place a wire rack on top of the towels. In a heavy-bottomed large pot or deep fryer, heat at least 2 inches of oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360°F. Working in batches, use a slotted metal spoon or spatula to carefully place the doughnuts in the hot oil. Fry, flipping once, until light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer as done to the wire rack and return the oil to 360°F between batches. Let the doughnuts cool slightly before glazing with the Basic Sugar Glaze or Chocolate Glaze .

Steps:

• Scald milk; cool to lukewarm.
• Soften yeast in warm water (and proof by allowing to set for 10 minutes, watching for bubbling to begin to occur); add to milk.
• Cream the shortening and sugar together.
• Add eggs and beat.
• Add salt to milk and yeast mixture.
• Alternately add flour and creamed shortening, sugar and eggs mixture.
• Stir until smooth.
• Cover and let stand until double in bulk.
• Roll 1/2 inch thick on lightly floured surface.
• Cut and let rise until double in bulk, again.
• Fry in deep fat fryer until light brown on each side.
• Remove and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil (into the paper towels, rather than the doughnuts).
• Change paper towels frequently.
• While still warm: Glaze with powdered sugar glaze.
• If you prefer, they can be put into a sack with dry powdered sugar, crystal sugar or brown sugar and shaken gently to coat, or frosted with one of your favorite icings and sprinkles or nuts.
• When completely cool and glaze or frosting has set, store in an airtight container.
• They can also be frozen for later use (eliminate as much air as possible).
• If frozen, when ready to serve, remove from freezer, place on microwave-safe dish, cover with wax paper and run on defrost cycle until warmed through.
• They will be almost as fresh as when you first made them!

Steps:

• For the donuts: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the all-purpose flour, potato flour, granulated sugar, yeast and salt. Add the milk, eggs and vanilla extract and mix with the dough hook to combine. With the mixer running, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated into the dough. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, as needed. Mix on medium speed, dusting with a light sprinkling of flour as needed, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is completely smooth and slightly sticky, about 10 minutes. Stretch the dough into a ball. Lightly oil a clean, large mixing bowl and place the dough in the bowl, turning it around and upside down to fully coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean, dry towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature until it's doubled in size, 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut into donuts with a 3-inch donut cutter, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet that has been dusted with some flour. (You can form the dough scraps into a ball, allow to rest for 30 to 45 minutes, then repeat the process of rolling it out and cutting additional donuts.) Cover with plastic and let proof in a warm place until slightly puffed and increased in volume, 45 minutes.
• Prepare a heavy-bottomed pot with oil for frying. When the oil reaches 350 degrees F, fry the donuts 3 or 4 at a time, flipping every 30 seconds (a pair of chopsticks works well for flipping these), until puffed up to double their size and golden brown, a total of 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a rack. Allow the oil to come back to temperature before frying another batch.
• Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the milk in a mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more milk if needed to achieve a thick but drizzle-able consistency. Add a few drops of desired food coloring. Place in a piping bag until ready to pipe onto donuts.
• Pipe the glaze on top of the cooled donuts. Add sprinkles before they dry. These are the best super-fresh, but they can be stored in an airtight container on the counter.

Steps:

• For the doughnuts: Add the granulated sugar to the warm milk in a medium bowl, and then add the yeast. Allow it to sit until the yeast starts to bubble, 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs and then pour them into a bowl with the melted butter, whisking constantly. Add the butter/egg mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer. Pour in the milk/sugar/yeast mixture. With the hook attachment, turn the mixer to low speed.
• Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, and then retrieve 1/2 cup at a time and add it to the mixing bowl, allowing it to slowly incorporate into the liquid mixture.
• Continue mixing for 5 minutes after the flour is combined. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl and then mix about 30 seconds more. Then place the dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 to 12 hours.
• The next morning, remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature and rise, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Put the dough in a warm spot, if necessary, to facilitate rising.
• Turn out the dough on to a floured surface and roll it out to about 1/4-inch thick. Use a doughnut cutter (or 2 concentric cutters) to cut out the doughnuts. Remove the holes and transfer the doughnuts to a lightly-floured baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment. Then - and this is the vital part - cover the doughnuts lightly with tea towels and place it in a draft-free area, at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It will take that long for them to rise. If they don't seem to be rising much, move the pan to a warm place.
• Melt the shortening in a pot over a medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (Or you can drop one of the doughnut holes in the oil, if it sizzles and immediately rises to the surface, the oil is ready.) The doughnuts should immediately float to the top and puff up. Then use a metal spoon or spatula to carefully flip them over to the other side. Remove them from the oil as soon as they're golden brown on both sides (this should take less than 1 minute in total). At the end, drop in the doughnut holes and fry them until they are golden brown.
• Place the doughnuts on paper-towel-lined-plates to drain. Don't worry if they're a little imperfect; if your fingers leave impressions when you dropped them into the oil, that just means they were extra light and fluffy.
• For the glaze: To glaze the doughnuts, mix the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup cold water, salt and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Drop in the doughnuts one at a time. Quickly turn them over then remove them. Place them on a rack so any excess glaze can drip off.
• To make the most of the glaze, set the holes underneath the doughnuts so they can catch the extra good stuff.

Steps:

• In a large measuring bowl, combine the milk and boiling water. Add a teaspoon of the sugar and the yeast. Stir it gently, then leave it in a warm place for the yeast to activate (aka foam).
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, the rest of the sugar, and the salt.
• Cut in the butter using your fingers or a pastry blender, until it resembles crumbs.
• Add the egg (give it a quick beat) and yeast mixture to the flour mix, and mix into a smooth dough. This usually takes about 5 minutes of mixing.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured counter and knead for about 5 to 10 minutes-it should feel springy and little bubbles should form under the surface.
• Place it back in the bowl, cover with a cloth or plastic wrap, and let rise for about an hour until double in size.
• Once risen, place the dough onto the counter and cut it into 4 pieces.
• One piece at a time, stretch it into a long rope about an inch to an inch and a half wide.
• Cut strips about an inch long, ball them up with your hands, and place them on a baking tray or wire rack to wait.
• Cover the doughnuts holes with a cloth to rise while you heat the oil to 375°F.
• Place the doughnuts into the oil and fry until golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes.
• Be sure to fry only a few at a time so they don't overcrowd and stick together.
• Drain on a paper towel or wire rack over a cloth, before glazing them. Be sure to glaze them warm, or else they won't get that delicious coverage!