Feather Light Doughnuts Recipes

GRANDMA'S LIGHT-AS-A-FEATHER DOUGHNUT RECIPE

Steps:

• Place water into a glass measuring cup and warm until it reaches the temperature of a baby's bottle. Add yeast and allow it to activate until it doubles in size. (You can add a pinch of sugar to help "kick start" and speed-up the activation process if you'd like.)
• In a medium saucepan heat milk, sugar, salt and butter over low heat just until butter is dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
• Gently stir yeast into cooled milk mixture. Add slightly beaten egg.
• Add flour (one cup at a time); incorporate well.
• Sprinkle a light dusting of flour onto dry, flat work surface. Knead dough until it resembles a soft baby's bottom.
• Place ball of dough into a large, lightly buttered mixing bowl and add a light coating of butter to the top of the dough. Cover with a clean tea towel and set in a sunny warm spot in your home.
• When dough has doubled in size, gently punch it in the center with your fist; roll it onto your floured working surface.
• Using a rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/2" thickness. (You may need to add additional sprinkles of flour to prevent sticking.) Cut doughnut shapes out using a doughnut cutter or two different sized biscuit cutters (3-inch and a 1 1/2-inch).
• Place doughnut on baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Cover again with tea towel and place back in sunny warm spot.
• When doughnuts have doubled in size, remove tea towel.
• Fry in oil that has been preheated to 375 degrees F. approximately 45 - 55 seconds per side, or until golden brown. Remove doughnuts from oil and immediately place them onto folded paper towels.
• Repeat the frying process for the doughnut holes but shortening the frying time to approx. 30 - 40 seconds.
• In a separarte mixing bowl, combine all glaze ingredients; mix well. Dip each doughnut into the glaze, coating as evenly as possible (dip one, or both sides). Run a long handled spoon through the center of each doughnut, hold it up and allow excess glaze to drip for a couple seconds. Place doughnuts onto cooling rack. (Now is the time to add candy sprinkle, chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, etc...)
• When the glaze has harden, the doughnuts are ready to serve.

MY MOM'S RAISED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 cup of warm water into a small bowl, and stir in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Allow the yeast mixture to stand until it forms a creamy foam layer on top, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place milk and vegetable shortening into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until the shortening has melted and the milk has tiny bubbles around the edge. Remove from heat.
• Place 1/4 cup of sugar and the salt into the work bowl of a large stand mixer and pour the milk and shortening into the bowl. Mix on low speed just to dissolve sugar; and allow mixture to stand until warm.
• Beat in the yeast mixture, eggs, and 1 cup of flour on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• Continue beating the dough on low speed until dough leaves the sides of the bowl, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 2 or 3 more minutes.
• Form the dough into a ball and place into a large greased bowl. Grease the top of the dough, and cover the bowl with waxed paper. Set the bowl into a warm place; let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough and roll out on a floured work surface to 1/2 inch thick. Cut doughnuts out of the dough with a 3 1/2-inch round doughnut cutter with a 1-inch smaller cutter in the center. Let the doughnuts rise on the work surface until very light and fluffy, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Gently pick up and drop the doughnuts into the hot oil, working in small batches of 2 or 3 at a time, and cook until the doughnuts are light golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes.
• Drain the doughnuts on paper towels to absorb oil.
• In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of warm water and vanilla extract, and stir in the confectioners' sugar to make a glaze. Spread a thin layer of glaze over the warm doughnuts.

NO-FRY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk and shortening; stir for 1 minute. Add sugar, eggs, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and 2 cups flour; beat on low speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (do not knead). Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; roll out to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-3/4-in. doughnut cutter; place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Brush with butter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes., Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, for glaze, melt butter in a saucepan. Add the confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla; cook over low heat until smooth (do not boil). Keep warm. , Dip warm doughnuts, one at a time, into glaze and turn to coat. Drain on a wire rack. Serve immediately.

FEATHER LIGHT DONUTS

Steps:

• in a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk.
• add potatoes, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup oil, salt vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and eggs. mix well.
• add enough flour to form a soft dough.
• place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.
• cover and let rise in a warm place about one hour til doubled.
• punch dough down and roll out into a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness.
• cut with 3 inch donut cutter.
• let rise another 45 minutes.
• combine cinnamon and remaning sugar.
• heat oil and fry til golden brown on each side.
• sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.