My Mom was the best baker I have ever known, along with Great Aunt Jane. Whether it was pies, breads, cakes, or…..yes, doughnuts. Even though they are fried, I classify that as a baking product because of the dough you use.
I stated somewhere before on here that my Mom never owned a cookbook. I lied! Well, actually, I forgot about this one. This recipe comes from a 1957 ROBIN HOOD COOKBOOK that was my Mom’s. I still have it to this day & is the one I treasure the most. The rolls & loaves of bread & OH….the doughnuts she made from that cookbook! These simply melt in your mouth. It is ha
Ingredients
1/2 cwater, warm (not hot)
2 pkgactive dry yeast
3/4 cmilk, lukewarm
1/4 csugar
1 tspsalt
4 call-purpose flour, sifted
1/3 cshortening
2eggs
GLAZE
1 Tbspwater, warm (may need more to thin, but thicker is better)
1/2 tspvanilla
1 cconfectioners sugar, sifted
Step-By-Step
1SOAK yeast in 1/2 cup warm (not hot) water – 5 minutes. TIP: I throw about 1 tsp. sugar in with this to kick it in the butt to get it going.
2SCALD the milk and melt shortening. (I always remember Mom melting the Crisco in the warm milk first, so that’s how I do it.)
3POUR milk over sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir until dissolved. Make sure this mixture is warm, not hot.
4ADD 1 cup of flour, eggs and yeast mixture. Beat until smooth. ADD remaining flour to make a soft dough. When dough leaves sides of bowl, turn out onto lightly floured board. (Recipe calls for 4-4 1/2 cups flour, but every time I make it, it only takes me 4 cups to achieve the right consistency.)
5KNEAD until dough becomes smooth and elastic. Place in lightly greased bowl. Grease top of dough and cover with waxed paper. Allow to rise in warm place (80-85°) until doubled (1-1/2 hours).
6ROLL OUT dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut-with a #2 can that has been opened with a tadpole can opener to leave a sharp cutting edge. Use a pill bottle or the center of doughnut cutter to make the center hole. Remove centers.
7LET RISE on the board until very light (40-60 minutes).
8DROP into deep hot fat (325° – 350°) and turn when doughnuts are just barely brown. Turn once again when browned sufficiently.
9DRAIN on absorbent paper. While still warm, glaze with glaze (ingredients above) or dust each doughnut with granulated or confectioners sugar.
NOTE: This recipe is not recommended for use with self-rising flour.
