Fluffy donuts

I usually make these doughnuts when I'm in the mood for something simple, fluffy, and I don't need complicated ingredients or techniques. The dough is easy to handle, and the result always has that light texture, perfect with coffee or a glass of milk. They don't need fillings or glazes, just a sprinkle of powdered sugar at the end, and they're ready.

Quick Info

Total Time: about 2 hours
Preparation Time: around 20 minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Frying Time: about 15 minutes
Servings: 15-20 doughnuts, depending on size
Difficulty: easy
Recipe Type: dessert, doughnuts for a snack or breakfast

Ingredients

450 g flour
1 egg
50 g butter (soft, at room temperature)
200 ml milk
20 g dry yeast
2-3 tablespoons of sugar
a pinch of salt
lemon essence
grated orange peel
frying oil
powdered sugar, for decoration

Preparation Method

1. Start by putting the dry yeast, sugar, and 200 ml of milk (the milk should be warm, not hot) in a glass. Mix well and set the glass aside for about 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
2. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add baking powder (if using, although it's not clearly listed in the main ingredients, it is mentioned at the beginning of the original recipe – if you don't have it, you can omit it, the yeast does all the work anyway).
3. Pour the activated yeast and milk mixture over the flour. Add the egg, soft butter, grated orange peel, lemon essence, and a pinch of salt.
4. Knead everything until you get an elastic dough that doesn’t stick to your hands. This takes about 7-10 minutes of kneading. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour, just enough to shape it.
5. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour, until it doubles in size.
6. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Roll it out with a rolling pin to about 1 cm thick.
7. Cut circles from the dough using a glass or a round cutter. To make holes in the middle, use an apple corer or something similar. Gather the leftover dough, knead it gently, and continue cutting until it’s all used up.
8. Place the formed doughnuts on a tray or board, cover them with a towel, and let them rise for another 25 minutes.
9. Heat oil in a deep pan. The oil should be deep enough for the doughnuts to float. Fry them on both sides for a few minutes until they turn golden brown.
10. Remove them onto paper towels to absorb excess oil. While still warm, roll them in powdered sugar.
11. They can be served warm or cold. They are good plain, alongside milk, coffee, or hot chocolate.

Why I Make This Recipe Often

They come together quickly and don’t require complicated techniques. The dough is easy to work with and doesn’t need to be timed perfectly. The doughnuts stay fluffy for a while, and the ingredients are always on hand. They are perfect when I want something sweet without much hassle.

Tips and Variations

Tips

- For fluffy dough, don’t add too much flour while kneading.
- The milk should only be warm, not hot, to avoid killing the yeast.
- Don’t leave the doughnuts in the oil too long, or they will dry out inside.
- Use paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Substitutions

- Butter can be replaced with margarine, but the texture will be slightly different.
- If you don’t have lemon essence, you can substitute it with vanilla essence or omit it.
- Orange peel can be replaced with lemon peel if you prefer that flavor.

Variations

- You can make doughnuts without holes in the middle, cutting out only simple circles.
- For a more intense flavor, add a bit of cinnamon to the powdered sugar.
- If you want smaller doughnuts, cut out smaller circles.

Serving Ideas

- They are good warm, but also cold, for takeout.
- They can be served with jam, honey, or chocolate spread.
- For a more festive version, sprinkle them with ground nuts mixed with sugar.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use fresh yeast instead of dry?
Yes, you can use fresh yeast. For this amount, 20 g of dry yeast can be replaced with about 40-50 g of fresh yeast. Dissolve it in milk just like the dry yeast.

2. Can they be baked in the oven instead of fried?
This recipe is designed for frying. If you want to bake them, the texture won’t be as airy and fluffy. They may turn out denser and not as soft.

3. Can I prepare the dough the night before and leave it in the fridge until morning?
You can let the dough rise in the fridge overnight, but you will need to bring it to room temperature and let it rise sufficiently before rolling it out and cutting the shapes.

4. How long should the dough rise? What if it doesn’t double in size?
Ideally, the dough should double in size during the first rise. If it doesn’t rise enough, check if the yeast is not expired or if it was dissolved in milk that was too hot or too cold.

5. What oil is best for frying?
The best choice is refined oil with a high smoke point (like sunflower oil). Do not use oils with strong flavors, like olive oil.

Nutritional Values

Estimation for 1 doughnut (from 18 doughnuts produced):

Calories: approximately 160 kcal
Protein: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Fats: 6 g

Values vary depending on how much oil they absorb while frying and how much powdered sugar you use. The estimation is indicative.

Storage and Reheating

Doughnuts are best on the day they are made. They can be kept for 1-2 days in a closed box at room temperature, but they become denser. They can be quickly reheated in the oven for a few minutes to regain some freshness, but they won’t be as fluffy as when they are fresh. Storing in the fridge is not recommended.

 Ingredients: 450 g flour, 1 egg, 50 g butter at room temperature, 200 ml milk, 20 g dry yeast, 2-3 tablespoons sugar, a pinch of salt, lemon essence, grated orange peel, +oil for frying, +powdered sugar

 Tags:  fluffy doughnuts