My Moms Raised Doughnuts

I used to make these with Mom as a little girl. She would make dozens a week and give to neighborhood kids. I would coat them with that ooey good frosting. I recently won a blue ribbon with this recipe. It was also featured and put in newspapers all over the U.S. Then it was voted as 1 of 100 top recipes to be put in the 2011 Members Choice cookbook. They are like eating a flavored cloud. So light and fluffy. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Step: 1

Pour 1/2 cup of warm water into a small bowl, and stir in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Allow the yeast mixture to stand until it forms a creamy foam layer on top, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step: 2

Place milk and vegetable shortening into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until the shortening has melted and the milk has tiny bubbles around the edge. Remove from heat.

Step: 3

Place 1/4 cup of sugar and the salt into the work bowl of a large stand mixer and pour the milk and shortening into the bowl. Mix on low speed just to dissolve sugar; and allow mixture to stand until warm.

Step: 4

Beat in the yeast mixture, eggs, and 1 cup of flour on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Step: 5

Continue beating the dough on low speed until dough leaves the sides of the bowl, 2 to 3 minutes.

Step: 6

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 2 or 3 more minutes.

Step: 7

Form the dough into a ball and place into a large greased bowl. Grease the top of the dough, and cover the bowl with waxed paper. Set the bowl into a warm place; let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Step: 8

Punch down the dough and roll out on a floured work surface to 1/2 inch thick. Cut doughnuts out of the dough with a 3 1/2-inch round doughnut cutter with a 1-inch smaller cutter in the center. Let the doughnuts rise on the work surface until very light and fluffy, 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Step: 9

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step: 10

Gently pick up and drop the doughnuts into the hot oil, working in small batches of 2 or 3 at a time, and cook until the doughnuts are light golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes.

Step: 11

Drain the doughnuts on paper towels to absorb oil.

Step: 12

In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of warm water and vanilla extract, and stir in the confectioners' sugar to make a glaze. Spread a thin layer of glaze over the warm doughnuts.

Per Serving: 207 calories; protein 3.2g; carbohydrates 24g; fat 11g; cholesterol 16.1mg; sodium 106.8mg.

The quality of the flour can make a real deal to your bread. Different makers do vary. Extra-strong or Canadian flours, which are naturally higher in gluten, may give you a best rise than standard bread flours – especially if you’re make wholemeal dough , which doesn’t always getting bigger as well as white bread.

To make this in a breadmaker , add all the menus to your breadmaker and follow the makers instructions.

A bread first rising can be done in the fridge overnight . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great timesaver , as you can work it yesterday , then clear it off the next day.