Raised Doughnuts

Ingredients

  • 1 package (7g) active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
  • ¾ cup lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup shortening
  • 3½ to 3¾ cups all-purpose flour*

Directions

  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
  2. Stir in milk, ¼ cup sugar, the salt, egg, shortening and 2 cups of the flour.
  3. Beat until smooth.
  4. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
  5. Turn dough onto lightly floured cloth-covered board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
  6. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up.
  7. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1½ hours.
  8. Punch down dough; let rise again until almost double, about 30 minutes.
  9. Roll dough ⅜ inch thick on lightly floured cloth-covered board.
  10. Cut dough with floured doughnut cutter.
  11. Let rise on board until double and very light, 30 to 45 minutes (leave uncovered so crust will form on dough).
  12. Heat fat or oil (3 to 4 inches) to 375 degrees in deep fat fryer or kettle.
  13. Drop doughnuts into hot fat.
  14. Turn doughnuts as they rise to surface.
  15. Fry 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.
  16. Carefully remove from fat; do not prick the surface.
  17. Drain.
  18. While warm, roll doughnuts in sugar or, if desired, frost or glaze.

*If using self-rising flour, omit salt.

Dressed-Up Doughnuts

  • To sugar: Roll warm Raised Doughnuts in granulated sugar. Shake Favorite Doughnuts one at a time in a bag with a little confectioners’ sugar.
  • To glaze: Blend ⅓ cup boiling water into 1 cup confectioners’ sugar. Dip warm doughnuts into warm glaze.
  • To garnish: Sprinkle glazed doughnuts with chopped nuts, colored sugar or confetti candies.