Perfect Doughnuts

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 3 eggs (3/4 cup)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons soft butter
• 3 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg or mace
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• Salad oil or shortening for deep-frying

Details

Servings 22

Preparation

Step 1

In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat eggs with sugar and butter until very light and fluffy--about 2 minutes. Scrap side of bowl occasionally.

Meanwhile, sift flour with baking powder, soda, salt, and nutmeg; set aside.

At low speed, gradually beat buttermilk into egg-sugar mixture.

Add flour mixture gradually; beat, at low speed, just until combined and smooth. Dough will be soft.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate until well chilled--about 1 hour.

Remove half chilled dough to very-well-floured pastry cloth (keep rest in refrigerator until ready to use). Turn over dough, to coat with flour.

Roll out 1/3-inch thick. Cut with floured 3-inch doughnut cutter, dipping cutter into flour between each cutting.

With wide spatula, transfer cut doughnuts to top edge of pastry cloth.

Press trimmings together; re-roll, and cut. Let rest, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in electric skillet or heavy saucepan, slowly heat salad oil (from 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep) to 375 degrees on deep-frying thermometer.

Gently drop doughnuts and "holes", 3 or 4 at a time, into hot oil. (doing too many doughnuts at one time would cool oil; doughnuts would absorb it and be greasy.)

As they rise to surface, turn with slotted utensil. Continue frying doughnuts and holes until golden -brown on both sides--about 3 minutes in all.

With slotted utensil, lift doughnuts from hot oil; hold over skillet a few seconds, to drain slightly.

Drain well on paper towels. Frost warm doughnuts, or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.