Krofne Serbian Doughnuts Recipes

KROFNE (SERBIAN DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• Mix flour and yeast together in a large bowl.
• Mix together milk, water, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add butter and heat until melted and mixture is 110 degrees F (43 degrees C).
• Pour warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add eggs and mix until incorporated; dough will be very sticky.
• Place dough on a generously floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and just a bit sticky.
• Transfer to an oiled bowl and flip, to make sure all surfac30s are coated with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, then cover with a dish towel. Place in a warm part of your kitchen and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Punch it down and knead for 1 minute. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness and cut out circles with a 3-inch cookie cutter. Place circles on parchment paper and let rise for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Working in batches, slowly add doughnuts. Fry until light brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Place doughnuts on a wire rack to drain slightly. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
• Place remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. Roll warm doughnuts in the sugar to coat.

KRAFNE (CROATIAN DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• Take a large pot (glass pot for salad or similar) and put in it flour, sugar, slightly melted butter, salt, rum and slightly warm milk (25-30°C) and mix well using mixer or dough-machine.
• The dough must be smooth and "shiny". Cover the dough with warm kitchen towel and leave it grow for 40-50 minutes (it must double in size).
• Knead the dough again and cut into two parts. One part cover with kitchen towel again and thin the second part into 2 cm thick dough. Use mould for "krafne" or normal glass 6 cm. in diameter. Cut round pieces. Do this until there is no more dough (re-knead and do it again).
• Now, knead the second part of the dough and do the same thing (with glass). Let it grow for more 20 minutes.
• Take a large pot, pour 1 liter of oil and heat to 80-100°C Fry several krafne in oil; first covered (not more than 1 minute or until brownish) on one side, and than uncovered1 minute on the other side (them must not touch each other). They must have white ring (we call it in Zagreb: "ramftl").
• When they are done, take them out of oil with hollow spoon and put onto paper towel to drain surplus of oil. Using cooking syringe put jam into each "krafn". Spread grounded sugar over and serve. They are very good when they are warm, but not too warm.