In search of best fluffy yeast doughnut recipe?

Question

I used to eat these wonderful fluffy yeast doughnuts from the bakery when I was a kid. But I'll settle for any good recipe. When I make doughnuts they seem like some greasy oblong doughy mess and I can't figure out why. I bake a lot and my cookies, pies and cakes turn out wonderfully. But these simple doughnuts I can't get right! Help! Thanks

Answer 1

Fluffy Yeast Doughnuts
(As a make-ahead strategy, prepare separate batches of the dry ingredients in advance and store them in labeled and sealed plastic bags.*)
Active Time: 1 hr. – Total Time: 5 hrs 15 min.
Makes about 1-1/2 Dozen doughnuts

1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon solid vegetable shortening
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 extra-large yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
About 5 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more sifted flour for dusting
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Dark Chocolate Glaze or Vanilla Glaze
Chopped nuts, toasted coconut and sprinkles, for decorating (optional)

In a small saucepan, warm the milk with the shortening over low heat until the shortening is almost melted. In a large bowl, stir the yeast into the warm water, sprinkle with a pinch of sugar and let stand until foamy, about 3 minutes. Stir the warm milk mixture into the yeast along with the 1/2 cup of sugar and the sour cream, the whole eggs, egg yolk, salt and vanilla. Gradually stir in 4 3/4 cups of the flour until a soft, sticky dough forms. Scrape the dough out onto a floured surface and use a pastry scraper to knead the dough until smooth, adding as much of the remaining flour as necessary. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but smooth and elastic.

Gather the dough into a ball, transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 2 hours. Punch down the dough and turn it over in the bowl. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 2 hours or overnight.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough 1/3 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter dipped in flour, cut out as many doughnuts as possible and transfer them to a sheet of floured wax paper. The scraps can be rerolled once to cut out more doughnuts. Loosely cover the doughnuts with wax paper and let rise until soft and billowy, about 20 minutes.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat 4 inches of vegetable oil to 365°. Line a rack with several paper towels. Working in batches, fry the doughnuts until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Check the temperature of the frying oil to make sure it doesn't get too hot or cool. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to the paper towel lined rack to drain. Serve warm or let cool before glazing with the Dark Chocolate Glaze or Vanilla Glaze and decorating with chopped nuts, coconut and sprinkles.

Make ahead*: The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. The finished doughnuts can be made up to 4 hours ahead.

Notes: Variation: To make jelly doughnuts, cut out 2 1/2-inch rounds of dough with a biscuit cutter. Fry as instructed above. Once the doughnuts are cool, use a piping bag to squeeze jelly into the sides of the doughnuts.

Dark Chocolate Glaze: Makes 2 cups
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Salt

Place the chopped chocolates in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream with the sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let stand until melted, about 5 minutes; whisk until smooth. Whisk in the butter, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Let the dark chocolate glaze cool until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

Vanilla Glaze: Makes 1-1/2 cups
5 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the milk and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.

Variation: To make a frosting suitable for piping, stir 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar into the glaze.

Enjoy! ~-~

Answer 2

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Answer 3

They look like glazed doughnuts. I read the recipe, they have yeast. So they are not the heavy cakey ones from the grocery that have powdered sugar or chocolate coating. This looks like the Krispy Kreme recipe. All they need is to be dipped in glaze. Your recipe says that they are pillowy. There are two kinds of donuts. Bread-like with yeast, and cake. I think you have a yeast one. These look good, and no deep frying, they are baked. I'd try it. But I would glaze them. And you do not have to have a deep fryer for donuts. You can fry them on stove top in a really heavy skillet.

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Answer 4

hope this helps

RAISED GLAZED DONUTS

4 oz. shortening
1 qt. water
4 oz. yeast
4 oz. sugar
10 c. flour, no more

Measure yeast into 1 cup of the quart of warm water. Add sugar, let set a few minutes. Then gradually add water and flour, after you have about half mixed, blend or mix in the shortening, which should be room temperature. Mix all ingredients thoroughly, let rise double in bulk.
Take half or a third and roll out, shrink by flipping edges of dough. Cut out, let rise about double in bulk, before cooking center from donut. Be sure it is hot enough. Maple bars can be made from this recipe.


GLAZE FOR DONUTS:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 tbsp. boiling water
Vanilla to taste

Answer 5

There is a simple recipe for making donuts....buy a can or more of Pillsbury grands biscuits, cut a round hole in the middle for donut holes....I use a large round icing tip to do this !!!! works perfectly. have your skillet or pot ready with the hot oil, and place your donuts in and turn over . The donuts brown very quickly!!!! make sure you have your icing ready.... I use powdered sugar with a little vanilla flavoring and water mix with wire whisk and turn on both sides in icing,as soon as you take all of them out. Let donut rest on cookie rack for excess icing to drain off. Hope this helps....I call this semi-homemade cooking.

Answer 6

Well it is like making bread. You don't over work the dough. You let it fully rise before you roll it out and cut it. You let it fully rise before you fry. It's an all day job if done right.

Answer 7

I normally do not just post a link but here is a recipe to make krispy kremes at home.

http://www.recipezaar.com/63746