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Ingredients
Doughnuts
1 1/2 teaspoons (or 1/2
package) active dry yeast
3/4 cups warm water (105
to 115°
F)
1/2 cup lukewarm mashed
potatoes (prepared mashed potato buds can be used)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 cups all-purpose
flour
Vanilla Glaze
(Note: If you like to
glaze liberally, making a double dose of glaze is
recommended)
1 3/4 cups powdered
sugar
1/4 cup water or milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Doughnuts
Dissolve yeast and warm
water in an electric mixer bowl for 3-5 minutes. Add
mashed potatoes, sugar, butter, eggs, salt and 1/2
cups of the flour to the yeast and water mixture.
Attach bread hook attachment and beat on low speed
until blended, then increase speed to medium and
beat until smooth. Add remaining flour and continue
beating until smooth. If dough still sticks to sides
of bowl, add a little more flour (1 tablespoon at a time)
just until dough no longer sticks to sides of bowl
and is not to sticky to handle.
Grease a large glass
bowl with a small amount of oil and set aside. Turn
dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for
about 2-3 minutes, sprinkling small amounts of flour
on dough as needed to prevent sticking to fingers
and work surface. Form dough into a ball, then place
dough ball in greased bowl, turning dough to coat
entire surface with oil. Cover bowl tightly with
plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours, but
no longer than 5 days.
Transfer dough to a
well-floured work surface and press down to flatten.
Roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Using a doughnut cutter,
cut out doughnuts, dipping doughnut cutter into
flour before each cut. Gently press out doughnut
holes from the bottom to avoid making dents on tops
of doughnuts or doughnut holes. Form a ball with any
remaining scraps then re-roll to 3/8-inch-thick and
cut doughnuts until all dough is used up. Place cut doughnuts on a
floured surface (such as a baking sheet or cutting board).
Cover with a light-weight cotton towel and allow to rise until double in size
(1-2 hours).
Heat 2-3 inches of oil
in a deep-fat fryer or heavy saucepan to 375°
F. Slide doughnuts into hot oil with a wide flat
(not slotted) metal spatula,
wiping oil off of spatula with a paper towel before lifting each
doughnut (to prevent doughnuts from sticking to
spatula). Cook doughnuts (and doughnut holes) for
40-45 seconds on each side, watching closely to cook
them only long enough to reach a light golden brown
color.
Carefully lift doughnuts from oil with
tongs or by slipping a fork or thin knife (such as a
steak knife) into the doughnut hole,
then place doughnuts on a stack of paper towels to
drain.
Place a cooling rack
over a couple sheets of wax paper. Once doughnuts
have drained
but are still a little warm, dip in vanilla glaze,
turning to coat both sides and inside of hole. Place
on cooling rack and allow glaze to become set. Best
stored in a doughnut-style box, paper grocery bags
or other containers that will keep them covered but
still allow a little air to reach them (air-tight
containers are not recommended, because they might
make the glaze on the doughnuts become moist and gooey).
Vanilla Glaze
Whisk together powdered
sugar, water (or milk) and vanilla until it reaches
a smooth consistency. |
