Yeast Doughnuts

These doughnuts take anywhere from 4 hours to overnight to prepare! It is important to make sure all of your ingredients are room temperature. I suggest letting the doughnuts do their second proof overnight so that you can have freshly fried doughnuts in the morning with coffee. Yum!

Makes 12 doughnuts

Prep time: About 4 hours

Tools needed: Doughnut cutter, tongs, wire rack, candy thermometer.

Ingredients

1 packet Instant Yeast (1/4 oz)

2 tablespoons warm water

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 egg yolks

4 tablespoons salted butter

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

Directions

1. Allow the yeast to rise by mixing it with the warm water and half teaspoon of sugar in a bowl and setting it aside to triple in size - about 5 minutes. If it does not grow, check the expiration of the yeast and start again.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add all the remaining ingredients (flour, yolks, butter, milk, sugar, and vanilla) to the bowl and knead on a medium speed for 10 minutes.

3. Once the dough is finished kneading, you’ll notice it is sticky and forms into a ball. Take the dough out of the bowl and spray baking spray at the bottom of the bowl and place the dough back inside to proof for the first time.

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and allow to proof for 1.5 to 2 hours in a warm area - dough will triple in size.

5. While the dough is proofing, cut 4”x4” parchment paper squares and place on a baking sheet.

6. Remove dough from bowl onto greased surface and roll into a sheet. The dough should be rolled to about 1/2 inch thickness or more depending on doughnut size.

7. Cut out doughnut shaped with cutter and place doughnuts on parchment squares on a tray.

8. Cover tray with a baking towel and allow to proof for a second time either overnight in the fridge (with the tray covered in plastic wrap) or for an hour or two on the counter until doughnuts double in size.

9. In a medium, deep casserole pan warm up the vegetable oil to 350 to 360 degrees F using a candy thermometer. The temperature should remain this temperature the whole time for even baking.

10. Place the doughnut into the oil, removing the parchment once it is in the oil with two forks or tongs. This prevents you from disrupting the shape. Fry for 45 seconds to a minute on each side or until golden brown, flipping the doughnut with tongs or two forks.

11. Transfer cooked doughnuts to a cooling rack and decorate with icing once cooled.

Doughnut Icing

Ingredients

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1/4 cup whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Food dye (optional)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until smooth and combined. Dip doughnuts and place on sprinkles or allow to dry on wire rack.

Pistachio Baked Doughnuts

Ingredients

For the doughnuts:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 cups pistachio flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk

• 2 tablespoons unsalted, melted butter

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 teaspoon pistachio extract (optional)

For the icing and crumb topping:

2 cups powdered sugar

4-5 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Green food coloring, Chefmaster brand

1 cup Yum Crumbs Pistachio crumb topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees ℉ and spray doughnut pan with non-stick baking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together all of the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.

3. Add the remaining ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until a smooth batter forms.

4. Place the batter in a large piping bag and pipe batter into each doughnut cavity - about halfway full.

5. Bake in the middle rack for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the doughnut.

6. Once baked, transfer doughnuts to a wire rack to cool.

7. Prepare the icing by combining all of the ingredients into a medium bowl, using a spatula or whisk, until a smooth icing forms. Add more milk or more powdered sugar as needed to adjust the icing consistency.

8. Pour out yum crumbs on a plate to dip.

9. Dip cooled doughnuts into the icing and then directly into the crumbs and allow to dry completely. Decorate with white chocolate and gold leaf and enjoy!

Chocolate Sour Cream Baked Doughnuts

Image property of Cake It With Justin

Ingredients

Makes 18 doughnuts.

For Donuts:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup dark cocoa powder (Hershey Special Dark)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

For icing:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk or water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift and whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Add all of the liquid ingredients into the bowl and whisk to combine into a smooth batter.

4. Prepare doughnut pan with baking spray.

5. Place batter in a piping bag and pipe donuts to half-way full.

6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until firm and a toothpick comes out clean.

7. Transfer doughnuts to a wire rack to cool. Prepare icing by combining all the ingredient in a bowl and whisk to combine into a smooth icing.

8. Dip the doughnuts in the icing and place back on the wire rack to cool.