Time to make the donuts!

For a couple of months of now, I've been wanting to make homemade donuts for the family. I have memories of my mom making them for me when I was little except she made them from canned biscuit dough. She would fry them up in her cast iron skillet, and I would shake them in a paper bag full of sugar. It was such a treat for me, so it's something I was excited to do for my son. And while I was daydreaming about how happy my son would be to see me making donuts in the kitchen, how he would ask me to make them every weekend, how excited he would be to cut the donuts out with the cutter... he was completely oblivious in real life. He preferred to play Subway Surf on the couch and watch Cars on TV. And when I gave him a little donut hole to start off with, he reacted the same as if we got them from Shipley's. Fun. But I haven't given up hope yet.

Yeast Raised Donuts

recipe from King Arthur Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

3 cups (12 3/4 oz) unbleached all purpose flour

1 large egg

1 cup (8 oz) milk

2 tablespoons (1 oz) butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 cups (2 lbs) vegetable oil or shortening (2 1/2 lbs), for frying 

1.Whisk together the dry ingredients.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, butter and vanilla and stir into the flour mixture, mixing until well combined.

3. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then knead for 6 to 8 minutes by hand or mixer until you have a smooth, soft dough.

4. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, turn it over to grease the top, and let it rise, covered, in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in bulk.

5. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.

6. Gently roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with a round cutter.

7. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rise again for about 1 hour, until doubled again.

8. Place oil or shortening in a heavy pan or deep skillet and heat to 350°F.

9. Place the doughnuts in the oil, two or three at a time, and fry until golden brown.

10. Turn over and cook the second side. This should be no more than a minute on each side. Overcooking will make the doughnuts tough.

11. Drain on paper towels.

Glaze

recipe from The Pioneer Woman

3 cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 cup Cold Water Or Milk

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.)

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

5. Serve warm if possible, or room temperature.