Light as a Feather Doughnuts
These were the best. I loved helping my grandmother make these when I was younger.
These were the best. I loved helping my grandmother make these when I was younger.
- Carbohydrate 3.22493750431475 g
- Cholesterol 0.028625 mg
- Fat 1.7454412500031 g
- Fiber 0.137700006484985 g
- Protein 0.694146251570688 g
- Saturated Fat 0.350416750000931 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (26g)
- Sodium 914.877627396386 mg
- Sugar 3.08723749782976 g
- Trans Fat 0.0648768750006207 g
- Calories 30 calories
Step-by-step
- Scald milk, stir in sugar, salt and margarine. Cool to lukewarm.
- Measure warm water into large warm mixing bowl. Sprinkle or crumble in yeast; stir until dissolved.
- Add lukewarm milk mixture, egg and half the flour. Beat until smooth.
- Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all sides.
- Cover, let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about one hour.
- Punch dough down. Roll out about 1/2 inch thick.
- Cut with 2-1/2 inch doughnut cutter. Place on greased baking sheets.
- Cover, let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about one hour.
- Handle doughnuts as little as possible to prevent falling.
- Fry in deep fat (375 degrees) for 2-3 minutes, or until brown on both sides.
- Drain on absorbent paper. While warm, dip in Glaze or Cinnamon-Sugar.
- GLAZE- Blend together 2C sifted confectioners sugar, 1/3C milk and 1tsp vanilla. Dip warm doughnut into glaze.
- Drain on rack set over waxed paper or platter to catch icing so it may be reused.
- CINNAMON SUGAR- Combine 1/2C sugar and 2tsp cinnamon. Dip warm doughnuts into mixture.
Standard ingredient lists omit the critical mechanical forces that dictate whether a yeast dough produces an airy crumb or a dense interior. Achieving a fragile, yielding structure requires strict adherence to temperature thresholds, gluten development milestones, and minimal physical agitation during shaping.
- Dissolve cake yeast in water maintained precisely between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit; exceeding 120 degrees kills the culture, preventing any rise.
- Knead the mixture for a full 10 minutes to align the gluten strands, which traps the carbon dioxide generated during fermentation.
- Maintain a proofing environment of approximately 85 degrees Fahrenheit to encourage uniform expansion during the two one-hour rising phases.
- Roll the dough to a consistent thickness of 1/2 inch before cutting to ensure even expansion in the fryer.
- Maintain the frying oil strictly at 375 degrees Fahrenheit; cooler oil saturates the dough with fat, while hotter oil burns the exterior before the center cooks.
Lacking a dedicated metal doughnut cutter, use a 2.5-inch round pastry ring alongside a 1-inch metal piping tip to punch out the centers. Fry only two or three pieces at once to prevent the oil temperature from dropping precipitously.
