Raised Doughnuts

By cacelias

I do love a good yeast-raised doughnut, and in fact in most ways, they're easier to make than their cake-style counterparts. True, they require some advance planning, but they're aren't as fussy in the oil, or as sensitive to ambient temperatures. The best part is, they're amazingly light, much more so than a store-bought version. Try them once and you'll be making them every weekend.

Ingredients

• For the sponge:
• 4.2 ounces all-purpose flour
• 0.5 teaspoons instant yeast
• 3.5 ounces lukewarm water
• 1 large egg
• For the doughnuts:
• 5.8 ounces all-purpose flour
• 2.5 teaspoons instant yeast
• 0.6 ounces dry milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 ounces sugar
• 1 large egg, cold
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ounces butter at room temperature
• Canola oil for frying
• Extra fine sugar for rolling (for jelly doughnuts)
• Raspberry or other fruit jam for filling (for jelly doughnuts)

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the sponge ingredients in a small bowl and stir them with a fork until smooth. Let the sponge ferment for half an hour at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.

The next day, put the sponge in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add all the remaining ingredients except the butter. Knead it for 10 minutes on medium speed, scraping down as needed. After 10 minutes, start adding the butter a tablespoon at a time, kneading until each is well incorporated.

Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and leave it in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rough rectangle. Put it on a towel-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a thickness of 3/8 inches. Using a 3 1/2-inch circular cookie cutter, cut out the doughnuts, re-rolling the scraps until the dough is completely used. If making jelly doughnuts, leave the dough circles intact. Otherwise, use a small 3/4" circular cutter to punch out holes in the center. Return the doughnuts to the towel-lined baking sheet, covered with a sheet of lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let them rise until puffy, about an hour.

Fry in 375-degree oil for roughly 45 seconds per side. Drain on a wire rack. Ice and decorate as desired.

For jelly doughnuts, roll the fried rounds in superfine sugar while the doughnuts are still warm. Attach a pastry tip (ideally a #230 Bismark tip, but just about any good-size tip will do) to the corner of quart-sized zip-lock bag and fill with about a cup of jam. Using a cake tester, gently poke a hole in the side (or bottom) of each doughnut. Fill with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of jam. Eat!