American Style Doughnuts Recipes

DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the milk until it is warm but not hot, about 90 degrees. In a large bowl, combine it with the yeast. Stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat the eggs, butter, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons), and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is too wet. If you're using an electric mixer, the dough will probably become too thick to beat; when it does, transfer it to a floured surface, and gently knead it until smooth. Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out the doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, concentric cookie cutters or a drinking glass and a shot glass (the larger one should be about 3 inches in diameter), flouring the cutters as you go. Reserve the doughnut holes. If you're making filled doughnuts, don't cut out the middle. Knead any scraps together, being careful not to overwork, and let rest for a few minutes before repeating the process.
• Put the doughnuts on two floured baking sheets so that there is plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes. If your kitchen isn't warm, heat the oven to 200 at the beginning of this step, then turn off the heat, put the baking sheets in the oven and leave the door ajar.
• About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375. Meanwhile, line cooling racks, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
• Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time. If they're too delicate to pick up with your fingers (they may be this way only if you rose them in the oven), use a metal spatula to pick them up and slide them into the oil. It's O.K. if they deflate a bit; they'll puff back up as they fry. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a slotted spoon to flip; cook until they're deep golden all over. Doughnut holes cook faster. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375. Glaze or fill as follows, and serve as soon as possible.

AMERICAN-STYLE DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the shortening, eggs, and warm milk. Stir to combine, then knead by hand or with an electric mixer and dough hook until smooth, about 5 to 10 minutes. Note that the dough should be sticky to the touch (but supple enough to pull or scrape into a mass from the sides of the bowl); add a little more milk or flour as necessary to achieve that consistency.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turn over once, then cover with a towel and let rise until at least doubled in bulk, 1 hour or longer.
• Punch down the dough and turn it over. Cover again with the towel and let rise a second time until almost doubled in bulk, about 45 to 60 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a generously floured surface. Pat down or gently roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2-inch/1 1/4-centimeters thick. Use a doughnut cutter to cut out the dough (or a large drinking glass and small bottle cap to cut out the centers); carefully transfer the doughnuts and their centers to a towel-lined tray. Cover the doughnuts loosely with a towel and let rise for about 30 minutes.
• Scraps of dough should be gently pinched and pressed together into a mound (do not knead); cover and let rest for 20 minutes or longer before patting out and cutting out remaining doughnuts.
• Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot or deep frying pan set over medium heat. Test the oil by dropping in a scrap of dough; the oil should bubble around the dough, but not be so hot as to brown the dough quickly.
• Gently slide several doughnuts at a time into the hot oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turning only once, until golden. Transfer the cooked donuts to a strainer or rack to drain for 1 to 2 minutes, then to a paper-towel-lined tray. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts and balls.
• Warm doughnuts can be rolled in granulated sugar or dusted with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Cooled doughnuts can be dipped into a light sugar glaze or thin chocolate icing.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla. Heat over medium-low heat until thin; add a little more milk to thin it further if you like.
• Immerse a doughnut halfway into the warm glaze, then set it glaze-side up on a rack to allow the glaze to cool and set.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Melt the butter and chocolate over low heat in a small saucepan or saute pan. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and boiling water; heat until thin enough for dipping, adding a little more boiling water if necessary.
• Gently press the surface of a doughnut into the warm chocolate icing, then place it chocolate-side up on a rack to cool and set.

SUPER EASY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Stir the vinegar into the milk, and let stand for a few minutes until thick.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture alternating with the vinegar and milk. Roll dough out on a floured surface to 1/3 inch thickness. Cut into doughnuts using a donut cutter. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fry doughnuts in the hot oil until golden, turning over once. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners' sugar while they are still warm, and serve immediately.